Power Rangers: Rebel Spirit
by ChildhoodHero
Summary: In the year 2046 Baliens have invaded and taken over the Earth. Only 5 normal teenagers with extraordinary rebel spirits can harness the powers necessary to combat the Balien threat. But will it be enough this time? Please read and review!
1. Prelude

For millennia, the forces of evil have relentlessly tried to invade the earth and dominate the galaxy in grand assaults that attempt to destroy the forces of good with a single stroke. But as far back as anyone can remember, well at least from what they knew of the situation, there were always champions of pure goodness present to combat the forces of darkness whenever they should arrive. Most people called them heroes, some called them saviours, but all knew them as the Power Rangers in some way, shape, or form.

The Rangers created a common thread throughout history, always being present when danger should arrive, or certain peril should threaten the Earth. Even the most skeptical could not argue that the Rangers hadn't saved the Earth a time or two. No one ever knew how the Rangers did what they did, or from what source they drew their powers. And frankly, no one really cared, so long as their beloved city was around to see another day. Sadly, this was not the case this time around.

There had been no Rangers to stop the invasion that came in the year 2046. The invaders, beast-like aliens aptly named Baliens that used technology far more advanced than even what the Rangers would have had at their disposal arrived on Earth and enslaved the entire populace within hours. The governments of the world hadn't even had enough time to call each other, let alone mount a united resistance against their oppressors. The only reason the general populace knew of the destruction was because no matter where one looked, whether it was out the window or on one of the last TV reports to be aired, they saw their beloved homes, cities, and countries, being destroyed by Balien fighters from the air and on foot, obliterating everything with extreme efficiency. The few rebels that weren't captured by the Balien slave camps and still mounting a resistance had it recorded that the invasion began at around 2 p.m. one afternoon and was done by 6 that same night. It had taken an entire four hours to erase everything the humans had ever created; everything they had ever stood for.

The humans now living in captive slavery wondered regularly as to why no Rangers had swept down and stopped the mindless destruction; or at least they did until they realized that even mentioning the words "power" and/or "ranger", whether they were used in sequence or alone in separate contexts, earned them a week working at the stockade farming rocks with handpicks. Most humans that went to the stockade never returned; and typically that's how the Baliens liked things to operate. But there was one human who always returned, no matter how many weeks he was on stock, as the Baliens commonly said, or how much food was denied him. This human, a slave of 18 years of age, was the hero of the stock, the camp, and most likely the planet. Of course, he just didn't know it yet.

His name was whispered at night in the darkest corners of the slave housing, that he was unbreakable, that he was their saviour, one who could not be destroyed by the Baliens. One with a spirit of solid stone that no Balien handpick could break. This human's name had been Derek Stone once; a long time ago. His name had been Derek Stone when he had been a student at Backwater High School. Now the Baliens just called him "Stock" because of his frequent visits to the stockade death pit. His friends however called him Stone, not because it had once been his surname, but because it was easier to believe he was made of stone and that was why his dream of freedom never wavered even when the Baliens beat him within inches of death and why he always returned from the stockade with a greater resolve than when he left.

Stone, however, was also remembered because he was the only person who had successfully been rescued from a Balien slave camp and lived to tell the tale. Moreover, Stone had come back to the slave camp alone and swore to rescue all the other slaves and had eluded the Balien's grasp again, increasing the status of his legend. But what most slaves remembered is that Stone had morphed into a suited figure in a flash of light before he escaped a second time. This, my friends, is where our tale begins. But first, you should understand where this power Stone had came from. It began much on a night like this, with two rebels running to what most believed was their doom; but what was in truth their spark of hope.


	2. Chapter 1: Secret of the Statues

**Chapter 1**

**The Secret of the Statues**

Derek Stone was tired, but what he felt was not a fatigue of the body, or even of the mind. Stone was tired of his people dying on an hourly basis in Balien camps without so much has a handful of dirt to cover their fallen corpses. He was tired of watching people he had once seen walking on the street mourn their lost lives and toil away under the harsh, cruel watch of the Balien slave drivers. He was tired of the Baliens assuming that the humans wanted to die in their slave camps, rebuilding everything that they had destroyed. The joke, if their could indeed be humour in a situation such as this, was that if they wanted the world as they had found it, why the hell did they destroy it in the first place?

Stone had been one of the few, most thought the only, to actually escape a Balien camp. But Stone knew that this wasn't the case. The rebels that had freed Stone had freed dozens of other slaves from other camps. What Stone was later told was that the camp that he had been a prisoner of was the Balien's highest security camp; one that no one had _ever_ made it out of. When told this Stone casually replied "yeah, but no one had _ever_ made it back from the stockade either". This usually drew scattered laughter from the people that were gathered around him.

It wasn't so much that Stone was the cocky type, or even confident for that. He didn't really want the status that surrounded him…he was, as he had been constantly reminded at the Balien camp, "only human". Or, at least he was; but that's for later. Stone simply didn't want to give the Baliens the honour of watching him breathe his last…or at least while he was in one of their cursed camps. Stone didn't really mind dying surrounded by Balien corpses and dying with a sword in his hands.

It was Stone's courageous nature that led him and his rebel friend Chris to the cavern where they had been given hope. It had been on a night much like this one; a cloudless sky, pitch black with the stars guarding the lives of the humans still drawing breath under the rule of the Balien fighters.

"Stone, you know I believe in you and all that crap, but this, my dear friend, is ridiculous. Even for you" Chris had argued with Stone as they worked their way back to Camp Delta, where Stone had been a prisoner for so long. "Last time I checked Chris it wasn't crazy to want to save your friends from certain doom. And yeah, I know that marching into Delta probably isn't how you'd like to spend your…what day is it today…Tuesday night, but I never forced you to come with me" Stone joked with Chris, the rebel who had aided in Stone's rescue weeks ago.

"I told the council you were crazy as soon as I brought you back. Freeing all the Deltas…you have quite a dream Stone". Chris mumbled as he viewed the sky with a cautious stare, looking for signs of trouble and finding one almost immediately. He nudged Stone and pointed to a nearby rock formation that would serve as cover against the newfound threat.

"Just remember Chris, you volunteered to tag along" Stone replied as they ducked under the rock outcropping to avoid the gaze of a Balien air scout, a Skyclaw. The air scouts were birdlike Baliens that had the qualities of a falcon; sharp eyes and even sharper talons that would rend the flesh from your bones without a second thought. "You and I both know that you'd get in mountains of trouble without me," Chris answered, getting up after the Skyclaw's flyover. The two rebels proceeded to traverse over the outcropping they had just taken shelter under, giving them a stunning heartbreaking view of the landscape before them.

Where fields of grass and playgrounds had once stood were now sparse, barren expanses of sand and dirt. The pale moon illuminated the next five mile stretch almost like a giant light-bulb, which would effectively leave the two in plain view as they made the last open land stretch to Delta; and easy pickings for even the greenest Skyclaw. Stone, however, saw something that he had never noticed before. Right where the old football field had once stood was a severe depression in the ground…almost suggesting that the ground was weaker at that point and had only been exposed due to the blasts of the Balien explosions from the invasion.

"Hey Chris, is it just me or was the old football field flat like it was supposed to be?" Stone asked making sure his memory wasn't starting fail him as a result of his 18 years of age.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response"

"That's what I thought," Stone replied, pointing at the area of concern. "Then why is there an enormous depression in the middle of the bloody field?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe because the Balien assholes who invaded used these little things called explosives?" Chris answered sarcastically, which he was more than glad to do at any given time.

"Yeah I know that there professor, but then why doesn't _anywhere_ else look like that? The Baliens used explosives in more than this one spot and this is the _only_ spot that looks like that. I say we go check it out." Stone said as he already began to jog towards it.

"You know Stone, in the weeks and days that I've known you I've felt more endangered than I did when I was being shot at by Baliens. You know what that says about you as a person?" Chris grumbled as he struggled to catch up with the more athletic Stone.

"Yeah that I'm making you feel alive"

"Not what I had in mind you ugly, inconsiderate, reckless, son of a…" the latter comment wasn't being used in relation to Stone as a person, unlike the others, but was referring to the fact that as Stone approached the depression in the field gave way to a cavern entrance.

"I always knew that you were overweight you fat ass," Chris joked, thinking that the cavern entrance being exposed was a result of Stone walking into such a close proximity to it.

"Yeah cause you know all 200 pounds of me is enough to make the floor collapse in. Sometimes I wonder if you didn't get hit with a concussion during the raids on the prisons you've maid," Stone pointed out as he walked right up to the edge of the giant entrance.

"But I was clever enough to avoid getting my skinny white ass caught by those alien bastards now wasn't I?"

"Chris, you and I both know that we could sit here all bloody night and argue over who has the greater intelligence, but in the end you'd lose anyways," Stone laughed at Chris' jaw dropping and the punch on the arm that followed. "Look, I get the feeling that this entrance opened up for a reason…and I think that we're meant to go into it. Think about it," Stone began to explain seeing the disapproving look on Chris' face, "this hole could have opened at _anytime_ in the past few months, but it didn't. It opened when we happened to notice that there was something different about the spot and we walked up to it. Besides, you were concerned about being open season for some Skyclaws if we cross this field…I sincerely doubt the Baliens know that these caverns exist and even if they did I doubt they'd be expecting anyone to be coming through them." Stone began to move to the edge of the entrance to descend down into the caverns using the coil of rope he had wrapped on his belt. He adjusted the sword he carried so it wouldn't slow him down on his descent and tied the end of the rope to a nearby protrusion in the earth.

"One day, preferably not anytime soon, your hair brained schemes are going to get you or both of us killed. And you better pray that one of us winds up in hell because if we're stuck in the afterlife together I'm kicking the hell out of you for all eternity for getting me killed" Chris complained as he too uncoiled the rope that was secured to his belt to use for the descent into the cavern. Like Stone bore a sword Chris carried one of the Balien stun-staffs that he had captured from a Balien during one of the rebel raids on Balien slave camps and prisons. His, however, had been modified to have blades on both of the ends of the staff. During some of his spare time, Chris himself had modified the staff by using an old welding machine to weld the blades to the staff. He never thought that the skills he had learned in ninth grade tech class would come in handy. The staff, however, had saved Chris' life and the lives of others more than once.

In contrast to Stone's muscular and athletic body, his long hair and his skill with a sword, Chris was a wiry, not thin, wiry, short haired, sharp tongued rebel that usually planned all the raids from start to finish. This time around, however, Chris was just along for the ride. Stone had planned this two man raid on the toughest security camp in the country. When Chris had questioned him about it Stone had come through with flawless logic.

"Think about it Chris: if we march up to the gates with every soldier we have or even a dozen fighters they'll mow us down with one well placed shot. Two men, however, can sneak in, get a few people out, and get back out themselves before the Baliens are any wiser. Look, even if you don't go with me I'm going. I owe it to them to save them. When I left their hope left with them."

Chris, however, now severely doubted the logic that he had accepted as he began repelling into the cavern's depths, hoping that this massive cave formation would lead into or at least near to Delta. Chris could hear the drips of a water source falling in short drops to the stone floor. Contrary to what Chris would have expected, the cavern didn't have an air of staleness or must or even dust and dirt for that matter. It was almost as if the cavern had an air filtration system, which didn't do much for Chris' confidence that they weren't going to do die tonight.

"Hurry up you old fart you gotta see this!" Stone called from what must have been the cavern floor. Chris hated heights, especially when he was going down, so he had no intention of looking at what Stone wanted him to look at until he had both his feet back on completely solid ground.

"You had better be telling me that this blasted cavern leads somewhere Stone, or so help me," Chris called down as he reached the bottom of the cavern.

"Oh it leads somewhere. Ever heard of the light at the end of the tunnel? Think of this as that in the literal sense."

"Leave it to you to use a stupid metaphor in a situation like this" Chris said as he untied himself from the rope he had climbed down on. But he soon understood what Stone had meant. The mouth of the cavern entrance lead to the mouth of a tunnel where a bright light burned at the far end of the tunnel, seemingly beckoning the two rebels further; welcoming them to the end. "You know what they say about the light at the end of the tunnel and how you see it when you bite the bullet right?" Chris grumbled, clearly not happy.

"Stop your whining old man. Look at these walls…these must date back centuries, if not millennia! There's no way these could be a result of the Balien attack. These must have been here long before the Baliens, us, hell these look like they're from another planet" Stone exclaimed, clearly amazed at what he was seeing.

"Yeah another planet, like wherever the hell the Baliens are from you numbskull!"

"No not like that. Can you see those barbaric bastards making anything this serene? And besides, based on the rock formations and other stuff, I took a geology class in school by the way, this cavern must predate the Balien invasion by centuries at least," Stone said as he examined the rock walls of the cavern, seeing things that he apparently could understand and set a firm date to.

"Whatever. Lets just figure out what this light at the end of the tunnel is, and how it's probably going to kill us mind you, and get on to being dead and all that," Chris groused as he continued along the tunnel path. Stone concluded his examination of the walls of the tunnel and jogged to catch up to Chris, who was considerably further along the cavern since Stone had stopped to figure out how old the cavern was. What Chris failed to notice in his haste to meet death was the fact that the tunnel walls were beginning to change into something more resembling an extravagant hall of ancient times. The two rebels were beginning to see the source of the blinding light that was at the end of the tunnel; an elaborate cavern surrounded by torches emanating flames seemingly made of pure blue energy. The flames illuminated the cavern, revealing that there were engravings on the wall that would lead one to believe that they were pictures; similar to the cave drawings found in caves that were inhabited by cavemen.

"What do you suppose those mean," Stone asked Chris, who was busy looking around the cavern in what most would believe is awe, but Stone knew Chris was trying to figure out how to get the hell out of the cavern as fast and easily as possible.

"Well, seeing as that picture there has something going down in flames and some big scary, not that I'm scared mind you, thing standing over it, I'd assume that the aforementioned scary thing is gonna to come out, toast us to a nice medium rare, and then…" Chris rambled, openly upset about their current predicament.

"As sure as I am that will happen," Stone began, letting his sarcasm drip like water from a ceiling onto the floor, "I meant more how the hell did they get there in such detail and who the hell put them there." The drawings themselves were in colour, but not the kind that one would typically find in a cave like the ones that archaeologists found on a somewhat regular basis. These drawings looked as if they had been laser etched into the stone, and practically painted on by someone who knew exactly what they were doing. The pictures were not crude in anyway, but rather detailed, much like the details one would see in a professional painting…the only problem was that neither Chris nor Stone was able to decipher what the picture was actually trying to say. The two examined the pictures around the room until they reached what would appear to be the point of the pictures around the room. A huge stone door that, of course, had no obvious way to open yet clearly blocked the way that the two rebels needed to go.

"You know Stone, every time, every single goddamn time I try and raid or do anything remotely productive in your presence we run into a wall. Now, the times that preceded this one that wall was more figurative but, as you can see, the shit has finally hit the fan and we've run into a wall that we cannot overcome through perseverance. And even though I know you're stronger than me, no amount of hitting that wall with your sword will open it. Moreover, the only thing I can think of trying, short of knocking, is walking up to this fancy looking circular thing on the floor," Chris moved over until he was standing in the direct center of a circular design on the floor, directly in front of the stone entry gate, " and saying 'OPEN SESAME!'"

Much to Chris and Stone's surprise the door rumbled open, splitting evenly down the center of the door, revealing yet another passage. "Say one word Stone, and it'll be the last one to ever escape your lips," Chris said, glancing at Stone who failing miserably at his attempt to suppress his laughter.

"Me say anything? Never! But seeing as we keep running into the unexpected and/or things that tend to throw a wrench into the simplicity of life, I saw we draw our weapons," Stone suggested as he drew his sword from his over-the-shoulder scabbard. The blade was of Balien origin, with a polished steel hilt and a titanium alloy blade that was narrow near the hilt, flaring out and then drawing back in to a graceful blade.

"Great, more surprises," Chris complained, as he was so good at doing, as he brought his staff into his hands from his holster on his back. The duo began to trek down the torch-lit passage, cautiously scanning the shadows for any sign of danger. The passage began to lead downwards at a rather alarming rate, leading the two to believe that they were going to lose their footing and fall down the remainder of the passage at any moment. Contradictory to their current streak of good luck (they hadn't run into any Baliens after all) the two rebels lost their footing within 50 feet of the slope's beginning and began to slide what would most likely be their doom.

Instead of being impaled on a lovely set of spikes, Stone and Chris could feel the path twisting and turning farther and farther under the surface, giving them a small hope that they wouldn't have to account for all of their sins just yet. Then, as quickly as their slide down the slope had begun, it ended, landing the rebels firmly on their asses in front of a robed figure leaning heavily on a staff in front of five statues embedded into the rock walls. The statues seemed to be made of pure marble, yet they had a sheen that marble typically didn't emit. Each of the statues was bearing a unique weapon in a unique pose. The centre warrior was wielding a sword above his head poised to attack in a ferocious downward slash. The leftmost warrior was a female crouched on one knee taking careful aim at an airborne enemy with a bow. The next warrior, directly to the sword bearing warrior's right, left if you're looking at them, was a large, somewhat over muscled warrior holding an axe before them, ready to defend against the looming threat. The female heroine to the sword warriors left, right if you were gazing at them as Chris and Stone were, was holding a pair of daggers, ready to deal a lethal strike with both hands. Finally, the rightmost warrior was a wiry champion that was seemingly captured in the middle of spinning his bladestaff before him. What was common about all five was the bracelets that all five statues were wearing, each containing a different coloured gem.

"Ah, I've been waiting for you two to arrive," the robed figure said as he turned to face the two rebels. The man's voice was raspy, like he had been smoking his entire life, yet you could sense the power that emanated from the figure, despite his frail appearance and demeanor. He leaned heavily on the staff, is if he had suffered some great injury that pained him whenever he moved his leg. The robe shrouded the man in shadow from head to toe, with the cowl of the robe concealing the man's face in complete darkness.

"What do you mean waiting?" Chris demanded, changing the grip on his staff in anticipation of a fight if he didn't like the answer the old man gave him, "How would you have any idea we were headed here, seeing as the entrance to this place _just_ appeared to us?"

"Ah, you're referring to the gaping hole in the field that opened when you approached? I thought so. Do you really think it is coincidence that the entrance opened when you _happened_ to walk past? How many times had you walked over that area before the Balien invasion and it had never opened? Now, logic would tell you that the Balien invasion weakened the ground and that's why it happened, but what you will soon find it is nothing is what it seems when it's in relation to this place," the old man said as Chris relaxed his battle stance to somewhat lean on his staff. Chris figured that there was no danger in this place, and since they hadn't encountered any problems this far, he moved to examine the staff bearing statue. He ran his hands along the weapon, looking for any signs of weakness in the stone. As his hands reached the grip of the weapon he felt the hands of the statue relax to a certain extent, as if it wanted to release the staff to Chris, but was unable to do so at the present moment. After tugging on the weapon to see if force would prevail, Chris's examination moved to the bracelet that was on the wrist of the statue. The band seemed to be made of polished silver with a sapphire inset in the center of the bracelet surrounded by glyphs and runes that were indecipherable to the rebel. Chris began to move to remove the bracelet from the statue but was halted by the old man.

"Curious one aren't you Kolthor…I mean Chris," the old man said as he hobbled back to the center of the cavern, standing within a circular design on the ground that much resembled the one Chris had stood on when he had said "open sesame" to open the wall.

"Kolthor? Who in the hell is Kolthor? And how did you know my name! I sure as hell haven't told you and neither has…"

"Stone? No he hasn't either. I can read minds; it's a perk of the job," the old man joked, "but don't worry my powers only extend to interpretation, not control; meaning I can't control you. All I can do is just read what you're thinking and send my own thoughts into your brain patterns in the form of messages. Its how I'll contact you when you're outside the cavern and I need to pass something along," the man said as if he had made this speech countless times before. "And to answer your question, Kolthor is the person whose statue you are examining. He was the blue Ranger in the last millennia when the Baliens invaded the first time," the old man began, clearly wanting to get into a story that would likely explain things well enough to avoid further questions.

"Wait, you said the first time…that implies that this isn't the first time the Baliens have come to Earth, let alone taken over," Stone inquired of the old man.

"Very perceptive young man, and if you had let me finish, you would understand. Now, as I was saying, about a thousand years ago, give or take a few centuries, the Baliens arrived on Earth and laid siege to the planet and like this time, they had taken over within a few hours. I know for a fact that their four hour take over is one of their slowest invasions ever. Now, where was I?" the man stopped to gather his thoughts, "Ah yes. So, just as things have turned out this time, a few survivors found this cavern, but there was no one to get them through the questions. All that was here was a dais with the five bracelets resting on them. The five warriors placed them on their wrists and set forth as the Rangers of Power, or as you would call them now, the Power Rangers, and destroyed the Balien invaders. Unfortunately the Balien generals escaped the planet before the Rangers could destroy them. I'm pretty sure it's the same generals that have returned to invade this second time around. I also assume that the generals figure that this time there won't be any Rangers around as the average human life span is less than a century. What they don't realize is that the power is everlasting…it will always be present when it is needed. All that it requires is a host to harness its power; a champion of goodness that is willing to stand against the threat and fight back."

"And you want us to be those champions," Stone replied, pointing out the obvious.

"Of course he wants us to be the champions you idiot! Why would he be telling us this if he didn't want us to harness the power? So we could go tell other people? So we could post an ad at all the Balien camps saying 'wanted: five rebels willing to use extraordinary powers to fight bastard invaders'?" Chris, extremely exasperated, cried.

The old man chuckled, shaking his hooded head at the two exchanging verbal jabs. He remembered what it was like to be in their position. In truth, he had been one of the fighters that had found the five bracelets a millennium ago in this same cavern. He had been their leader, the one who had charged the brigades of Baliens and stormed their fortresses, never backing down. Those days, however, were far behind him, and he had been the one to take on the role of Protector, waiting the next generation of rebels who would once again harness the ancient powers to battle the Baliens. Stone and Chris reminded him of himself and Kolthor arguing on a regular basis about everything and anything…they had been best friends, and the old man remembered burying Kolthor's body in the courtyard of the castle which he had ruled over until his death. The Rangers had split up after the Baliens fled back to their home planet, wherever that was. They had gone back to their separate kingdoms and ruled to the end of their days, retaining their power bracelets until they breathed their last. Upon their death, they were immortalized, rather magically, in the cavern with a statue, where their weapons and bracelets now rested. The only reason the old man had a statue and was still drawing breath was because he, as aforementioned, had taken the mantle of Protector and swore to train the next generation of Rangers if, and when, the time should arise.

"If you two are quite done, I'd like to finish my story," the old man, who had tired of their bickering after his reminiscence, began, turning back to the two. "Yes, I'd like you two to be part of the next generation of Rangers, but I cannot force you to take on the power. If you don't want it there is nothing I can do other than try and talk you into it…a Ranger must voluntarily take their place, it cannot be forced upon him or her. Now, before you answer, let me tell you what you get as part of the package," the old man shifted to face the statues.

"Stone, you would take the mantle of the red Ranger, bearing the Ashblade and commanding the Phoenix. Should the Ashblade ever be lost or destroyed a new one with materialize in your hands the next time you call it forth. Like the Phoenix, the Ashblade regenerates. You are also leader of the Rangers, the first to fight, and the last to leave the battlefield. The bracelet you would bear would be inset with a ruby," the old man waved his staff and the bracelet and sword of the centre statue began to float in mid air in front of Stone. "Remember, you must voluntarily command this power. I cannot force it on you nor trick you into accepting it. What I offer you is not a path that will be easy to follow or walk; what I offer you is the chance to fight back and free your people as I once did."

"You were one of these Rangers old one?" Stone inquired, shocked at this tidbit of information that was dropped so casually.

"Yes, I was their leader, as I hope you to be. My name back then was Rion," the old man, now identified said as if he was mentioning that the sky was blue.

"Well then Rion, I guess I'll have to show you how the red Ranger gets things done in this day and age," Stone said with a smirk, stepping up to the floating sword and bracelet, grasping the blade with his right hand and extending his right hand through the bracelet. Upon touching his skin the bracelet conformed to his wrist, the runes and glyphs briefly glowing as it set itself on his arm.

"Well done Stone," Rion said as he removed his hood, "I guess you would say its pertinent information for me to tell you how to activate your new powers? The activation command and motion sequence is…" Rion was cut off by Chris' interruption.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Chris said moving closer to the staff bearing statue, "why don't you tell me about this guy, then give Stone the info on how to work this new power of his?"

Rion sighed. "Have it your way. That, dear Chris, is Kolthor, as I've said he was the blue Ranger when I was the red Ranger. He wielded that staff like it was an extension of him; in fact it is exactly like the one you bear now. The blue Ranger wields the Skystaff and commands the Pegasus. The blue ranger is the tactician, planning all attacks and making strategic recommendations to the red Ranger in battle." Rion waved his staff once again and the staff and sapphire bracelet were floating before Chris, awaiting his acceptance of the powers.

"I've always said you were gonna be the death of me Stone," Chris said, turning to face the sword wielding Stone, "Might as well take a few Baliens with us eh?" Chris reached above him and wrapped his fingers around the staff, allowing the bracelet to conform itself to his wrist. "_Now_ you can go through the whole user guide to these things Rion," Chris instructed, making himself feel as if he was in control of the situation.

"The similarities between you and Kolthor are amazing," Rion said, clearly exasperated with the situation. "The activation phrase for your powers is rather simple…unforgettable even in the worst of situations. Bring your arm across your chest and cry 'for freedom!' and extend your arm out before you, spreading your fingers and behold the power that you wield. Now, there is one thing that you must remember," Rion explained, "You two alone cannot fight back the Balien invasion even with the powers you know possess. You need to find three others to share these powers with you, as there are three statues remaining. Should you ever want to return to this cavern simply picture it clearly in your head and you when you open your eyes you will find yourself encased in these hallowed walls."

"How will we know who to choose as Rangers Rion?" Stone asked, wondering how one chose someone to be the ultimate fighting machine.

"That, my dear boy, is where you are mistaken. People don't choose the power, the _power_ chooses the people. Now, you're probably wondering how you know which people the powers have chosen right? When you are near someone who is destined to be a Ranger you will see a clear image of the statue whose power they are to inherit. To bring them here, transport here as you normally would while touching the Ranger to be. Both of you will be brought to this cavern as I explained earlier," Rion said gesturing to the walls of the cavern.

Stone and Chris both nodded in understanding as they discarded their old weapons for their respective Angelblade and Skystaff. The two felt the power coursing through their veins, like they had gotten a sudden adrenaline rush that would never fade.

"Oh, one more thing," Rion said as he turned to face the two rebels and the newest Power Rangers, "You can't tell anyone you're a Ranger. I know, believe me I know, that it's easier said than done. You can't morph in front of your friends, unless they're Rangers too of course; you have to run off to a sheltered area and come out in your Ranger form…much like Superman would change in a phone booth."

"But that doesn't make sense…what does it matter if people know who we are?" Stone asked, obviously not understanding the logic behind that requirement.

"You never know who's watching…there are likely Balien spies within your merry band of rebels. If you're true identities get out you won't be safe even in your human forms. This requirement is for the safety of your friends more than it is for you. If the Baliens get a hold of someone near and dear to you they know you'll do something rash to get them back. Trust me," Rion whispered, turning away from the Rangers. The Balien general Auron had found out his secret identity and had captured his wife and pink Ranger. He, of course, had rushed off to save her, only to watch her be killed once he had fallen into the Balien trap blindly. He had only made it out because of Kolthor's impetuous rescue attempt. Rion never forgot that it was her statue had been the first to be in this cavern, and just as he would never forget that he had failed her.

"Now, since you were on your way to make a midnight rescue, you'd best be on your way. I'm sure that the Rangers will have much more luck than two rebels would," Rion said with a wink.

"Rion, we've been down here for hours…it must be morning by now!" Chris cried at the entire waste of the rescue attempt.

"Chris, you're supposed to be the tactician, which typically implies a certain level of intelligence," Rion began, oblivious to Chris' rage, "Look at your watch."

Chris figured it was safe to humour Rion's command, even if it was just to prove him wrong. Chris glanced down at the wristwatch he had worn since the Balien invasion and felt his blood go cold. It read 11:51 p.m.; they had left the base at 11:45 p.m. in order to reach Delta for midnight dead on.

"I'd say something along the lines of 'what sorcery is this' but seeing as we just inherited mystical powers to become superbeings and all that I think it would be kinda redundant. So, how in blazes did you pull that stunt?" Chris requested of Rion, who bore a smug grin across his weathered face.

"Telepathy isn't the only trick the Protector can pull Chris," Rion said, a gleam entering his eyes. "When it suits me I can slow, quicken, or in this case, stop time. You'll find with time, excuse the pun, you'll be able to do the same with your powers. Now, begone with you! There are people to free and Baliens to destroy; may the power protect you as it once did me."

With that, both Stone and Chris drew a clear picture of the outskirts of Camp Delta in their minds, and in a flash of red and blue lights they were gone, leaving Rion alone, once again, in the Cavern of Power.

"May the power protect you my friends," Rion said, "I fear you'll need every ounce this time."

Author's Note: Please feel free to read and review. I'm open to suggestions and ideas. The next chapter will be up in a few days to a week. Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 2 Midnight Madness

**Chapter 2:**

**Midnight Madness; A Ranger in the Rough**

General Leo Auron paced his office at Camp Delta restlessly, feeling as if he was wasting energy by not doing anything productive at the present moment. It had been weeks since he had tasted battle, and despite his ability to control his natural desires, his lion instincts were beginning to get the best of him. He was fully aware that his legions of Balien troops had taken total control of Earth, but he clandestinely wished that _something_ interesting would happen, whether it was a rebel attack or a group of humans trying to revolt at his base camp, Delta, or even at another camp. He just wanted to taste blood on his fangs again in the heat of battle…it had been far too long since he had faced an opponent of equal ferocity that measured up to his caliber. What he needed, despite the fact that they had defeated his forces the last time he invaded, was the challenge the Power Rangers created when they showed up to make their meager attempt at saving the humans in his various camps.

Auron was in charge of the five largest slave camps on Earth; Alpha, Gamma, Delta, Sigma, and Omega. Delta was the largest and most fortified as it also served as Auron's personal base camp as well as his command centre. Although not the first camp to be created, Delta had been the one built closest to the most captured survivors. No one, save one, had ever escaped from Delta…the rebels were typically too smart to even undertake a rescue attempt at Delta. More often than not, the rebels would be destroyed on the approach to the camp as his squad of Skyclaws would pick them off one at a time if they had made it past the outlying minefields and laser traps. Auron glanced down at the clock sitting on his desk; 11:50 p.m. He wasn't even close to the time he would typically lie down for his nightly rest. But what to do…

_BEEP!_

Auron's desk comm beeped to notify the gigantic lion general of an incoming transmission. Auron sighed deeply. It was probably just another notification that another slave had been sent to the stockade where there had been an 'accident' resulting in the slave's untimely death. He was fully aware that his troops slaughtered the slaves at their own leisure and he was sick of having to record them all. He made a mental note to alter protocol to allow troops to log accidental deaths in the stockade. To this day, even days after his escape, it perturbed Auron that a slave had consistently survived the punishment he received at the stockade as well as the removal of his meals. He knew that the soldiers had referred to him as 'Stock' but he could not recall the slave's actual name; he made a habit of not concerning himself with the names of those under his service as slaves. This, however, was clearly an exception to the normality that Auron had found on this planet. He would have to look up the slave's name later on.

_BEEP!_

"What is it!" growled Auron into the comm unit's microphone. The screen flickered to life, illuminating his darkened office with the image of Colonel Graymane, the Balien that was in control of Delta's daily activities and security of the camp itself. The wolf-like Balien was normally under control of his emotions, but something clearly had the Colonel spooked.

"Sorry to interrupt you General sir, but there has been a breach," Graymane said as he saluted his superior. The command centre was awash with a myriad of warning lights and video feeds from the security cameras. Balien ground troops were running across the screen behind Graymane, presumably en route to their assigned battle stations.

"So? Deal with this breach how you always deal with them. Send the Skyclaws out to tear whoever's out there apart. And in the highly unlikely event that they fail have the snipers take them out when they get in range. This, _Colonel_, is standard procedure and I am struggling to comprehend why you're bothering me with this news," Auron snarled, rather incensed that his train of thought as well as the solitude of his office had been disrupted for this.

"Yes sir, I know sir. But this isn't a breach of the outer perimeter General. Our inner courtyard, as well as the slave domicile area, has been breached by what we assume to be two rebels," Graymane reported, "But these are seemingly two extraordinary rebels sir, and I'm not referring to the fact that they're breached the inner wall."

"Time, especially mine, is rather precious at the moment Graymane. If you'd be so kind, and if you'd like to retain your head, explain why these two rebels are extraordinary and not already dead," Auron ordered through the comm unit. He could tell from the background of the command centre and the number of alerts being issued that this new situation needed to be handled efficiently and, more importantly, immediately.

"Yes General. For starters, as you've already pointed out they've made it past our exterior and perimeter defenses. As you likely know sir, no _human_ has ever made it past the exterior and perimeter defenses of one of our camps or command centres for that matter. The only recorded case…" Graymane began to report.

"Colonel, when I care about the recorded cases of what species made it past our defenses and where, you'll be the first one to know; I assure you. Until that point, I want to know about the current situation and the current situation only. Are we clear?" Auron growled into the screen, flashing his fangs in warning.

Graymane took a deep breath, visibly shaken by the lion general's demeanor. "Crystal clear, sir. These rebels are wearing suits of, well we're not sure, and helmets that hide their identities. They have crests emblazoned on their chests and bear weapons that seemingly can't be destroyed. Moreover, they seem to have split up once they penetrated our defenses. According to our logs, there was a red figure and a blue figure that came through the breach. Upon entering, the blue figure moved towards the command centre, where I am ashamed to report, he is making short work of whatever soldiers or artillery we assault him with. The red figure, well General, we lost him. The last recording we have of him is disabling the fuse for the camera circuit to the slave domicile."

"Graymane, should you tell me that you haven't sent troops into the slave holding area you will soon find yourself relieved of your command as well as your pulse," Auron warned, clenching his fist beneath his desk.

"As I said, sir, our troops have been decimated by the blue figure that is holding his ground outside the main entrance to the command centre," Graymane related, clearly relieved that he had apparently taken the correct course of action.

"Do you have a still-frame of this blue figure Colonel?" Auron inquired, beginning to consider that history may be repeating itself.

"Yes General," Graymane commented, calling up the file that he assumed the General would be requesting next.

"Well done Colonel," Auron commended, "You have my leave to handle the situation. I will make my way over to the command centre after viewing the image to see if I can dispatch this blue rebel." With that, Auron flicked off the signal to the command centre, removing the image of Graymane from his viewing screen. With the flick of a switch he accessed the folder which contained all the files that had been sent to his comm unit within the last hour. Selecting the still-frame of this blue figure, he brought the image to the entirety of the screen.

"Just as I thought," Auron said with a smirk crossing his face, "Too bad this time we're ready"

As Auron arose from his command desk he glanced at the clock still ticking on the surface of his steel work space. Midnight; today was going to be a good day, for today he got his revenge on the accursed Rangers that sent him fleeing from Earth a millennium ago. He only hoped that the Ranger would know that he had the honour of being destroyed by the High Command General. Time, however, would most certainly tell.

**Moments Ago**

"So let me get this straight. _You_ get to go save the slaves, be the hero, have all the babes want to bear your children, and _I_ get to stand outside the command centre and fight every Balien in the place? Since when was I supposed to be the honorable one and die for the cause?" Chris grumbled as they scaled the fence that lead to the inner stronghold of Delta.

"Because _I_ know where the slaves are held, how to disable the cameras, where the guards will be…" Stone explained as he landed inside Delta, his first time setting foot in the camp since he had been free. It felt strange to be voluntarily returning to the place where he had suffered so much and endured so many beatings and deprivations. Many were the times he had dreamed of storming into this area with whatever weapon he could get his hands on to take down as many Balien bastards as he could before he caught the laser bolt or blade the ended his life. Now, however, he knew that he had a greater purpose to being here than for vengeance. He was here to liberate slaves and give them the same taste of freedom he had. Chris was to be the one to do the fighting this time around.

"Alright Mr. Map-in-his-Head you can be the hero. I'll stick to being the one who single-handedly holds off every Balien in the place. No, don't thank me, it's all part of the job," Chris said with his usual sarcastic tone. The Ranger's luck, however, took a turn for the worse as soon as he had finished his sentence. It seems as if the two hadn't escaped the Balien interior security measures. The closed circuit cameras had detected their presence and the alarm had sounded, flashing lights and all.

"Well, you always said I would get you killed," Stone said with a smile as he smacked Chris on the back.

"And one day, you ass-hat, you will. But for the moment might I suggest that we use these new powers of ours?" Chris said, already making the necessary motions to morph. Stone simply nodded, bringing his bracelet arm in front of his chest. With a glance, the two initiated their powers.

"For freedom!" the Rangers cried, morphing for the first time. They extended their arms, spread their fingers and watched the electricity dance along their bodies; armoured suit pieces clasping to their bodies wherever the electricity touched. Lastly, they felt their heads being encased in a helmet, not only protecting them from harm, but protecting their true identities as well. Stone's suit had a Phoenix emblazoned on the chest of his red armour in white, as did his helmet. Contrastingly, Chris' blue armour had a Pegasus displayed on his chest in white as well, as he also did on his helmet.

As the morphing sequence ended the two felt the power once again flow through them, amplifying their senses and their strengths. They had become Power Rangers, defenders of good and destroyers of evil. They were ready for whatever the Baliens were going to throw at them. Or so they hoped.

"Ok so maybe finding the powers wasn't so cool, but using them most _definitely_ kicks ass," Chris said, clenching and unclenching his fist before his face.

"Yeah well remember, you don't know the limits of the armour or the powers yet, so take it easy when you're teaching those Baliens the meaning of the word 'fight', ok?" Stone reminded Chris.

"Yeah just go and be the hero already before I change my mind," Chris joked, pushing Stone on his way. With that, Stone charged off towards the slave area of Delta, dispatching three Baliens on his way to the gate. Stone didn't even require the use of his Ashblade to fight the Baliens; the immense power from being a Ranger was enough. _If only we all could be Rangers_, Chris thought, _maybe _then_ we'd have a chance_.

"Halt, human! You are within Balien space; as such you will immediately remove your armour, your helmet, and drop any weapons you are carrying," the Balien guard, an ape, bellowed. It was sincerely unfortunate that the guard could not see the smile on Chris' face through his helmet. Even more unfortunate was the fact that the ape had apparently called for reinforcements, as there was now a small contingent of Balien troops behind the ape who was likely a sergeant.

"Let me get right on that you Balien bastard," Chris replied, once again feeling the spike of power from being a Ranger, "And when you say disarm your weapons do you mean things like this? Skystaff!" Chris cried, calling the staff into his hands. "Just to be clear monkey boy, I'm not surrendering, nor do I have any plan to die or be captured, so why don't we do the civilized thing. You surrender this camp to me and we call it a day. You and your worthless overgrown animal cracker friends pack up, fly your asses back to whatever flea-ridden planet you hail from and I never see you again. Then again," Chris said as he began to twirl his staff effortlessly, "there's always the hard way."

"Human scum…you'll taste my blade before this day is done. By Auron I swear!" The ape sergeant snarled as he and he squad of troops, composed of a plethora of animal races, charged towards Chris. He set his feet and shifted his grip on his staff in preparation to strike down the squad as quickly as possible. The first trooper to reach Chris was a rabbit-like Balien who used its natural speed to try and hit Chris. The Ranger spun his staff before him, blocking every blow the Balien took. With a deft flick of his wrist, Chris had knocked the Balien to the ground and had dealt the finishing blow with one of the blades extending from the end of the Skystaff. What amazed Chris was that he had felt no exertion whatsoever from the fight, it was as if he hadn't moved at all. That euphoria, however, would not last. Sooner than Chris would have liked there were dozens of Baliens attacking him all at once. He soon began to falter; it was as if he couldn't move fast enough to keep ahead of all the enemies attacking him.

_Listen to me Chris, _Rion said telepathically,_ you need to focus. Free your mind of all other thoughts. See only yourself, your foes and your weapon and you will move faster and do things you never imagined possible._

_Great, _Chris thought,_ I'm surrounded by these guys and he wants me to _relax… Reluctantly, Chris let his instincts and reflexes take over. He moved without thinking, rolling, flipping, vaulting, and fighting like he never had before. He felt himself running along walls and up fences, jumping off the shoulders of one Balien to strike down the next. In truth he had never felt so powerful, so alive. Everything happened faster than Chris could calculate. He had destroyed dozens of Baliens in what must have been hours; but in reality it had only been minutes. Little did Chris know that the Balien General was on his way to destroy Chris right now.

Stone had taken out the fuse for the camera circuit on his way to the slave housing domiciles; he figured that would give him a few extra minutes to free a few more slaves. Getting into the slave area was easy…the gate had been open. But opening the doors wasn't; the Baliens had changed the door codes since his time there, which could probably be attributed to the fact that he had escaped. This is what had caused him to lose massive amounts of time in his rescue attempt. He cut through the door locks with his Ashblade in the end, which he figured he should have thought of sooner, but he wasn't thinking clearly because of the blaring alarms.

_I better revert back to my human form_, Stone thought as he ran through the door leading into the first block of slave housings, _they'll only recognize me as Stone, not the red Ranger_.

"Power down!" Stone cried. Instantly, his helmet and armour were gone, leaving him in the clothes he had been wearing when he had left the rebel base. Each zone had three large slave houses, in which 50 slaves could reside, if you could indeed call it that. Stone figured with a bit of luck he could free the slaves in each of the three houses for a total of 150 humans having a fresh taste of freedom. His hopes, however, were soon crushed. The first two houses he entered were barren and empty…it was as if the slaves had left and in quite the hurry. The third house, however, contained a single boy whom Stone recognized from his previous internment at the camp.

"Johnny? By the power is that you?" Stone cried as he ran towards the boy. In the weeks since Stone had left the boy had thinned greatly, and his glasses were bent almost to the point of being unusable. Johnny's eyesight was, in a word, terrible. In addition to having glasses thicker than the bottom of an old coke bottle he was also astigmatic, meaning that even laser surgery, when it was available before the invasion, couldn't have cured the sixteen year old's eyesight. Johnny, however, never let a single word of complaint escape his lips; he didn't want pity or sympathy from anyone. He didn't want to be viewed as an invalid or a man with a weakness…it just so happened he was blinder than a bat without his glasses. At the sound of Stone's voice, however, Johnny began to rouse from what appeared to be a fitful slumber.

"That voice…I know it," Johnny mumbled through a yawn as he rolled toward the approaching Stone. Reaching under his glasses, Johnny rubbed his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up that much faster. His eyesight seemed to clear as he fixed his gaze upon Stone. "Stone! What are you doing here! Why would you come back here when you could live the rest of your life beyond these walls?" Johnny called as he rose to his feet.

"I can't let anymore people die here," Stone began to explain, "but now I see I may have been too late. Where the hell is everyone? They couldn't have killed two houses worth of slaves in the weeks that I've been gone…it's just not possible even for _them_!"

"I think you're right…I don't think all the slaves that are missing have been killed but…" Johnny explained, but it was lost on Stone. He hadn't noticed it when he first saw Johnny but now his mind was bursting with action. He saw himself zooming across the plains into the Cavern, where Johnny was standing in front of one of the statues, with Rion talking to him. _This must mean…_

"Stone? You get all that there chief?" Johnny asked, likely assuming that Stone had zoned out, as he did.

"Sorry, got lost in translation there. Say that again," Stone requested.

"Try and pay attention this time will ya? I've got a hot date in a few minutes. So, as I was saying, I don't think that the Baliens have been killing off the slaves. While on duty one day I saw a transport full of slaves being sent off somewhere. I crept closer to the fence and overheard some Balien guards talking. Something about 'new subjects for Omega'…whatever that means. So, I assume that all the vacancies are because of these transports sending slaves to be subjects over at the place they refer to as Omega," Johnny rationalized.

_Subjects?_ Stone thought, _what the hell is _that _supposed to mean_? That, however, would have to be a question to be answered later. "Johnny you want to get out of here with me? I've got to go and try to free more of us but…" Stone said as he was about to tell Johnny where he would need to wait for him and Chris.

"Hate to burst your bubble old Stone," Johnny began cautiously, "but things have changed a lot since you left. There aren't gates between the housing areas anymore…they've been replaced with minefields. And judging by the number of alarms going off it's a small miracle that you haven't been caught yet. How many fighters did you bring with you anyways?"

"Just one," Stone said with a smile, "but that's a story for when we're beyond these walls. Now, I know there's no gate, but can you take me to the fence that used to lead to the next housing area?"

"Yeah but we've gotta hurry…I've got a really bad feeling about this"

Stone and Johnny rushed out of the building and back into the courtyard that would eventually lead them back to where Chris was holding off every Balien in Delta. Johnny gestured over to a pathway that ran directly east of their current position. The ground was shaking from the explosions that Chris was presumably creating from his battle with the guards. Some of the damage that Chris had done must have disabled the locks on the slave houses, as the human slaves were milling about in the courtyard directly outside of their domicile. Many of the slaves were looking about in absolute terror, as they had not heard any explosions since the day the Baliens had invaded. Soon, however, they all had noticed Stone standing on the other side of the fence. Some were shocked, others stupefied, but all were overjoyed that their idol, their hero, and their hope had returned. It would truly break Stone's heart to not be able to rescue these slaves who looked to him for their source of courage. He knew that if he let them begin to ask questions he would not have enough time to say what needed to be said and be on his way; in reality he still found it to be a miracle that Chris had not sent him a message that he needed to hurry up.

"My dear friends," Stone began, trying not to let the hurt he felt at having to leave them to remain here come through his voice. He knew he would have to be strong. "I have returned to you today with a singular purpose in mind. I wish for all of you, like me, to be free of this hellhole; to remember what it is truly like to live life!" The crowd of slaves whistled and cheered, as they believed that Stone was going to free them from their captivity and restore their freedom. Now, came the most difficult part.

_Stone,_ Rion called through telepathy, _you must hurry. I sense that Chris will soon be in imminent danger. I have already told him to be on his guard. You two need to get out of there as soon as possible._

"Sadly, my dream cannot become a reality this night," Stone said, trying to avoid the disappointed stares of the slaves. They had clearly not expected Stone to say that. "But, I swear to all of you, by the blood that has stained these grounds, that I _will_ return again to free every last one of you, even if I must do so with my dying breath." Stone turned and told Johnny to follow him back out. He could not bring himself to turn to see the disappointment of the slaves as they trudged back into their domicile after they had been given a sweet taste of hope. But Stone's good luck, however, seemed to have run out. Colonel Graymane and three squads of his best troops were headed this way and would bypass the area that Chris was holding. He knew that he couldn't morph in front of Johnny yet, leaving only one option. Taking a few heartbeats to send a message to Chris, he gave Johnny the crucial instructions.

"Johnny, take hold of my hand. No matter what you feel, see or hear do _not_ let go. This is a matter of life and death," Stone said, extending his hand to the frightened teenager. Johnny was doing his best to hide his fear, but seeing Graymane charging towards you with blade in hand didn't do much for one's courage. Had Johnny had his Ranger abilities at this point the night would have turned out quite differently, Stone mused. For now, he would have to settle for saving the next Ranger from the Balien slave camp. There would always be another time, another night, and another battle that they would have to fight. Picturing the Cavern in his mind, Stone and Johnny disappeared in a flash of red light, leaving the slaves dazed and Graymane and the Baliens enraged.

_Chris, I've run into a complication here. I'm getting out with the newest Ranger; I'll explain later. You've done great, now get yourself out. See you back at the Cavern_.

_Why is it that I'm expected to be the hero and I get a little thing like _that_ as my only thanks?_ Chris wondered as he finished off the last of the Balien guards with a swift swing of his Skystaff. His Ranger powers had served him well in the battle; he had done things he never even dreamed he could and the power suit armour protected him from any blows that he hadn't managed to block or deflect. In fact, he had barely even felt the blow itself; the only telling factor that he had been hit was the amazed look on the face of the Balien that had managed to strike him. Chris, however, would be the first one to admit that he could have used a hand in the fight. True, he had made rather short work of the guards that had attacked him, but there were times when he had honestly thought he would be overwhelmed just by sheer numbers. Hopefully, this new Ranger that Stone had mentioned would be a valuable addition to their duo. Chris began to clear his mind and form a clear picture of the Cavern when he was interrupted by a growling voice that was a tad too close for comfort.

"So it _was_ a Ranger," the voice growled, clearly amused and surprised at the same time. Only now did Chris notice the stench of a Balien in his general vicinity. He assumed that the number of Balien corpses surrounding him had numbed him to the natural stench they had whilst they were still drawing breath. Chris wheeled around to face the Balien that had entered the area. It was a huge lion, likely a Balien of high rank, which was fast approaching the Ranger, claws extended.

"Ah, come to see what happened to your pals?" Chris said, bringing his staff up to a guard position. It was at this point that it suddenly hit Chris. "Wait, how do you know what I am?"

"Foolish human…do you really think that you are the first to harness the powers that you are using? Your cursed predecessors disposed of my invasion army millennia ago and now I see that you've taken the liberty of trying to stop my invasion the second time. I assure you, feeble human, that you and your band of merry Rangers will not succeed in stopping me this time. We are far better prepared for your pathetic resistance this time," the lion ranted as he and Chris circled each other, waiting for one another to strike.

"Oh is that so there Simba? I'd ask you and what army, but well that'd be a stupid question now wouldn't it? But I'll tell you this: when my merry band of Rangers and I are actually afraid of more than your breath, we'll send you a memo," Chris said, openly insulting the Balien.

_Stone and/or Rion…I could REALLY use some help here!_ Chris called through his thoughts.

_Call for your animal Chris_, Rion called back,_ only then will the great General be afraid._

"You insolent worm!" the lion snarled, "How _dare_ you insult me! Do you know who I am?"

"No, but I have the distinct feeling that I'm about to find out," Chris said as the Balien continued as if Chris had not spoken a word.

"I am General Auron, High Commander of the Balien invasion force that made such short work of your world. And you, _Ranger_, will soon know the meaning of the power that I hold!" Auron roared as he charged at Chris, ready to pounce. Chris bent his knees, tensing for action. He knew that even as a Ranger he couldn't take the General on his own. Remembering Rion's words, he leapt into the air as Auron was about to crash into him.

"Pegasus I could use a hand here!" Chris yelled as he began to fall back down to the ground, about to land literally on top of Auron. Suddenly, however, Chris was no longer falling to the earth. Literally, out of nowhere, his Pegasus had appeared, snatching Chris out of the air as one would grab a falling coin. The Pegasus' hair had a slightly bluish tinge to it that shimmered in the moonlight. Chris could not help but laugh as he peered down at the stomping Auron who was roaring his rage at the sky that Chris now flew across. The Pegasus beat it's wings casually, yet was still moving at a considerable pace and was gaining altitude steadily with every beat.

"Smell you later your worship!" Chris called down to Auron, waving his Skystaff in a farewell gesture.

Despite the Pegasus returning Chris to the Cavern within minutes, the fear that Chris had felt when facing Auron had not faded in any fraction. As Chris slid down the tunnel into the statue room, he was greeted by Rion, Stone, and what appeared to be the next Ranger. The disappointment on Stone's face was as easy to read as an open book. Chris assumed that the stranger in their midst was the only slave that Stone had managed to save. _At least_, Chris mused, _the guy he saved is gonna be a Ranger_.

"Please," Chris began, "No need to make me a coffee after a hard night of likely killing every Balien stationed at Delta. In fact, don't get up…I'll just sit here on the floor." The irony of his comment was the statue room didn't offer any chairs at all, so everyone was either standing, or sitting on the floor as Chris now was.

"Nice to see you too honey," Stone joked as the sour faced Chris lay down to rest. "And forgive me if I don't offer you my recliner chair, but I have a personal attachment to it that you just wouldn't understand." At this, everyone, even Chris, roared with laughter. As the echoes of the humour faded, Rion's voice cut the silence like a knife through butter.

"Now that we have _that_ out of the way, we have far more pressing concerns to attend to," Rion said as he hobbled onto the circular design that decorated the floor of the cavern. Stone hadn't noticed before, but it seemed as though Rion stood on the design on purpose, almost as if he was guarding the way to something. "Since you've returned from your first mission not only successful but with the next to hopefully join our little…crusade…I feel that it's time that we give this Cavern a bit of a renovative makeover. If you gentlemen would be so kind as to close your eyes while I make the necessary adjustments…"

Once again humouring the old man, the three shut their eyes, imagining what this new Cavern would look like. They all knew that the statues would have to be a part of it, for even Johnny could sense their importance. Stone hoped that their new Cavern would be less accessible. Now, normally this wouldn't make a whole lot of sense; why would someone _not_ want to be able to get into their stronghold? This, however, was not the case at all. Despite Rion's explanation, Stone still felt that the Cavern could be found by Balien patrols and could be entered with very little exertion on the part of the invaders. Chris, after his near death experience as he would call it, wanted some way for people in the Cavern to view the Rangers that were currently at battle. Johnny thought that the new Cavern should have a place where the Rangers could reside, should the need arise.

"I think that should do it," Rion commented, "Feel free to open your eyes now."

As the humans opened their eyes, they saw everything that they had desired. The Cavern was no sealed on all sides with the statues raised to a higher level but still recessed into the Cavern walls. Much to Chris' delight, there was now a large pool of water that lay in front of the statues that he assumed would be used to view the outside battle. Finally, there was what appeared to be a lounging residence area in a dark corner of the Cavern. Stone broke the bewildered silence first.

"But how did you know…I'm assuming the other modifications are what you two wanted?" Stone asked the other two fighters, who nodded their agreement.

"Remember I told you I could read your thoughts? There's your answer. And if you were wondering how I did all this, it's one of the other perks about being the Protector," Rion explained.

"Protector?" Johnny inquired as he was new to the entire Ranger history. Chris and Stone were about to explain when Rion cut in.

"Yes, Protector. Johnny, you have been selected to become part of something greater than you could ever imagine, and I, as Protector, am guardian of the powers and their secrets. Stone and Chris, you see, are the newest generation of Power Rangers, as I hope you to be. The statues you see are of those who used these powers last, millennia ago when the Baliens invaded last. I know; you're shocked that there was a last time. Let me finish.

"A few millennia ago, give or take a few hundred years, the Baliens arrived on Earth and enslaved the humans much as they did this time around. I was part of the team of Power Rangers that fought off the Baliens during their first invasion attempt. I, dear Johnny, was the red Ranger, the leader, as Stone is now. Yes, that centre statue is of me, but I don't really like the pose I'm in…they didn't get my good side. Now, you're likely wondering that if I'm supposed to be a statue and I used to be a Ranger and that I fought over a thousand years ago how am I still alive? That's where the Protector part comes in. When a Ranger is destroyed they become a statue in this Cavern, bearing their weapon and power bracelet. But because I am the Protector, I'm immune to the touch of time. I reside here to train and pass on the ranger powers to the next generation of fighters that need to harness these powers. The Protector, in case you hadn't caught on yet, protects the powers for later use," Rion said as he concluded his explanation.

"Now, to more pertinent items on the agenda. When Stone got close to you, he saw you standing in this very Cavern facing the statue of the warrior holding the axe. Correctly, he assumed that the vision meant that you are destined to be a Ranger, which, by the way, you are. You are destined to inherit the powers of Baurin; black Ranger, agile and quick thinking. You wield the mighty Lunax and command the powers of Cerberus. That is, of course, should you accept them young one," Rion said as the statue of Baurin mystically illuminated, cutting through the darkness of the reaches of the Cavern. Just as the others, the Lunax and bracelet inset with an onyx floated before Johnny, awaiting his decision. "But more importantly Johnny, the powers can heal your less than perfect vision, allowing you to see without wearing your glasses."

"Accept them? If I'm destined to bear them doesn't that mean…well…that I'm destined to bear them?" Johnny asked, his youthfulness coming through like a beacon in a storm. Rion laughed, not out of spite, but because the way the question was framed. "And being able to see without these comes as part of my destiny?"

"No, see the way it works is that although you were chosen or destined to bear this burden, I mean powers, you have to _choose_ to bear that destiny," Chris began to explain, feeling old and wise, "No one can force you to become a Ranger…you have to voluntarily accept the powers and use them to fight for the good of the planet and all that honourable stuff. Now, although the package comes with a cool suit, a kick ass creature and a weapon that owns Baliens, I'm still waiting for someone to show me the secret handshake."

Rion and Stone both chuckled, but apparently the humour was beyond Johnny; either that or he was taking this situation rather seriously for someone of his age. In all of his sixteen years, well at the least the ones he could remember, Johnny had heard about the Power Rangers…he had never been lucky enough to see one, but he knew that they existed. They were, after all, on TV almost every night on the news fighting some new monster with their shiny robot things that converged into a gigantic robot thing. Secretly, he had always thought it would be amazing to be a Ranger; for it meant that he was something greater than himself…he had a higher purpose than living life everyday in monotony. Now, before his very eyes, were two current Rangers and a Ranger of the past, offering _him_ the chance to be a Ranger…to have a cause worth fighting, no…dying, for. Slowly, Johnny closed his eyes, taking a mental picture of the scene before him. He would remember this place, this exact moment, the rest of his life. Opening his eyes, taking a deep breath, he stepped forward taking grasp of the Lunax as he let the bracelet wrap around his wrist. Suddenly, his vision went blurry. Removing his glasses for the first time in life, Johnny saw the world without a layer of glass before his eyes.

"I swear to God that if anyone, from this point on, calls us the three musketeers…" Chris joked as he slapped Johnny good-naturedly on the back.

Johnny smiled as he, like both Stone and Chris, felt the power flow through his veins as the Ranger powers took up residence in his body. He was barely old enough to drive, but he now commanded supernatural powers to combat evil.

"Well Johnny," Stone said, "Welcome to the party. But I think it's about high time that the three of us return to Bastion."

"Bastion?" Johnny inquired, "What's that?"

"You'll find out soon enough kid," Chris said, "But Stone's right. They've probably written us off as dead by this point and are splitting up our stuff and taking my penthouse suite!"

"I'm sure. Now, there are a few things you need to know Johnny. Firstly, I, as well as the Rangers, can communicate telepathically. It's how we send messages to each other when we are in different locales. Second, you have the ability to teleport now that you are a Ranger. Simply create a clear picture of the area that you want to reach in your mind and when you open your eyes you will find yourself there. Thirdly, you cannot let anyone know that you are a Ranger; it's for your friend's protection more than it is yours. Should you find another Ranger, you will see them in this cave standing in front of the statue of the Ranger they are destined to be. Any finally, the command to activate your powers is 'for freedom'. Although I described the motion to Stone and Chris, I'm sure you'll know what to do when the time comes," Rion explained

With a nod, Johnny moved to stand beside the other Rangers. Stone grasped a hold of Johnny's arm as both he and Chris drew a clear picture of Bastion in their minds leaving Rion alone, once again, in the Cavern of Power.


	4. Chapter 3: Bastion of Strength

**Chapter 3**

**Bastion of Strength; Golden Destiny**

Bastion had been the small alcove that the few survivors of the Balien invasion had fled to when they realized that their homes and cities were no longer places they could live. The alcove had grown into an entire cavern system inside of a mountain located near the outskirts of Backwater City. Where there had once been lush vegetation there was only barren rocks and burnt wood, serving as solemn mementos of what had once been. The rebels living in the caverns lived off what little livestock and produce was salvaged from the countryside and city, and what could be grown on the cavern walls. On occasion, a rebel patrol had the good fortune to come across a poorly guarded Balien supply caravan that could be ambushed and taken back to Bastion. But, for the most part, the humans living in Bastion were scraping by with less and less food everyday.

Even the conditions of Bastion were not overly conducive to survival. The dankness of the caverns and tunnels did little for both the physical and mental states of the rebels that called Bastion home. The air was almost at a stale point due to the fact that Bastion did not nearly have the ventilation it needed; every opening had to be guarded in some way, after all.

The council that controlled the rebels, as well as the non-combatants living in Bastion, had often discussed storming one of the Balien camps and relocating their base of operations there. Unfortunately, the logistics just didn't work; there were far too few humans to storm a camp and live through the assault. What the council didn't know, however, was the fact that the Power Rangers were now part of their resistance.

Essentially, and for simplicity of this description, there were three modules to Bastion; a residential area, a gathering area and a military quarters. The gathering area was the most accessible of the three areas, as practically every outside tunnel lead to it in one way or another. The gathering area was large enough to accommodate every resident of Bastion, as all general meetings were held in this area. It was also the area in which children were allowed to run about and play, as all the adults had agreed to try to keep things as 'normal' as possible to avoid bringing any more trauma on the children that had already come to pass. The next level to Bastion was the military quarters, where the rebels were trained to fight by those who already knew how, as well as the rebels on active duty resided while they completed their shifts. The quarters were rather meager…the rebels slept on wooden cots that were only softened by the material on their bodies, as the comfortable mattresses were reserved for the civilians living in the residential area. There was an allotted storage area where any surplus weapons would be kept, but due to their rather paltry weapon supply the storage area was used as a hideaway for those that wanted to catch some extra sleep while on shift.

"Ah it's good to be home," Chris said as he took a deep breath. Stone, who was still unused to the rather…unique…odour of Bastion couldn't really see what Chris found so enticing about taking breaths any deeper than absolutely necessary. From the look on Johnny's face, Stone surmised that the young boy felt the same way. "If you boys will excuse me, I have a date that I can ill afford to break," Chris commented as he headed to the passageway that lead to the living quarters.

"Not only do I know that you are going directly to sleep, but we do have to report back to the council that we're still alive and that we have a new resident that will be drawing food from the storehouse," Stone said as he placed a hand on Chris' shoulder to hold him back. Stone felt Chris' shoulders drop in apparent defeat; Chris treasured his sleep almost as much as he treasured his life. It was still a mystery to Stone as to how he got Chris out of bed for the operation itself. Although they could not see Chris' face, both Stone and Johnny were quite sure that the blue Ranger was rolling his eyes at the prospect of standing before the council and giving a report. The unfortunate fact that the council slept in shifts meant that the council would indeed be available for their report even at this hour.

"Alright fine, but we've got to agree on a few things first…simply so I can get my skinny ass into bed as soon as bloody possible. First, we obviously leave out the part that we're Power Rangers…we can mention that we think we saw figures that looked like Power Rangers but we can't say that we _are_ the Power Rangers; that whole secret identity thing. Secondly, we don't offer anymore than the basics. If the council wants to know details we'll answer them on a need to answer basis. Thirdly: Johnny, you're new, so just follow our lead…only speak when directed to or spoken to. Let's go before I change my mind," Chris mumbled as he led the way into the council chamber.

The council chamber was in a small area that was accessed via a small passage from the gathering area. There wasn't a door separating any of the areas, but it was common knowledge for the people of Bastion that one did not enter the area unless they had direct business relating to the council. As the three approached the chamber, they slowed their pace to listen in on the conversation that was already taking place inside.

"With all due respect Councilor, I must disagree. Chris and Stone left over an hour ago on a mission that everyone here believed was suicide anyways. There is _no _way that they survived! Similarly, there is no reason for their names not to be struck from the residency list and their possessions and lodgings redistributed," the first voice spoke, clearly upset with the council's proceedings thus far. Stone and Chris recognized the man's voice as that of Lieutenant Pine, a tough-as-nails military man that had been part of the armed forces even before the Balien invasion. Chris was ready to rush in and tear Pine a new blowhole when Stone restrained him, signing for him to wait a few more minutes. Johnny simply held back and listened to the proceedings with interest, wondering where all of this would go and how it would affect him, if at all.

"Fortunately, Lieutenant Pine, the decision is _not_ up to you, nor will it ever be should your behaviour continue to be seen in this manner!" one of the councilors fired back. Stone mouthed the word 'Striker' to Chris, who smiled and nodded. Johnny assumed that this Striker was a councilor on their side.

"See kid, there are essentially two kinds of people in this place. The good, the bad, and the ugly…wait that's three…never mind. Basically there are people like ol' Pine in there who would do anything for their own personal gain and just want to make their bed softer and his stomach fuller. Then there are people like Striker, who actually care about what happens to the people of this place…do yourself and us a favour; be like Striker," Chris said as he tuned back in to the conversation in the chamber. Before Johnny could make a passing comment that he would never be like Pine, Stone had marched into the chamber, interrupting Pine's tirade.

"How dare you say that to _me_ you…"

"Say what? That you shouldn't 'redistribute' the property of those still living? Sorry old Pine but I'm with Striker on this one, as usual. As much as it would bring a warm fuzzy feeling to my heart seeing you in my bed with all my gear, I'm going to have to be the stick in the mud and insist that my stuff remains mine until I'm six feet below," Stone called as he strode into the chamber, rather casually after being called dead.

"Now, you can call us greedy there Pine, but I'm kinda attached to my stuff and how it's…well…mine and all," Chris said with a smirk on his face. Johnny walked into behind the other two Rangers, trying to be as small as possible until he was 'officially' acknowledged by the council. He didn't want to start trouble within his first 10 minutes of being in Bastion.

"What! How in the hell are you two still drawing breath? There was no way that you two could have survived…two of you against an entire Balien camp and Delta at that! Did you two even reach Delta or did you chicken out?" Pine snarled, accusing the two of blatant cowardice.

"Why you ugly, pig-faced, fart breathing…" Chris began as he started to walk towards Pine, wanting to punch his face in.

"Hold yourself Chris!" Councilor Faymore ordered, rising out of his seat. "Striking another, especially whilst you are in this chamber, is a clear breach of Bastion law."

"Lucky bastard," Chris growled at Pine.

It was only now that the group noticed that the chamber only housed the two councilors, Striker and Faymore, as well as the Rangers and Pine. This, even at this hour, was by far the most desolate that both Chris and Stone had seen the council chamber. Their voices echoed and resonated easily in the hollowness of the chamber, making the Rangers think that anything said above a whisper would likely be heard in the gathering area, if not the entirety of Bastion. Striker, after clearing his throat, rose from his chair to his full height.

"Lieutenant Pine, you have our leave to remove yourself from these chambers until such a time when you have a valid opinion that can be presented in a manner that befits your presence in this chamber," Striker said as a fuming Pine stormed out of the chamber, narrowly missing a collision with Johnny on his exit.

"Funny…is it just me or does it smell better in here now that he's gone?" Chris cracked just in time for Pine to hear it before he left. Now that the argument was over, the flickering light in the council chamber illuminated the councilor's features. Although there was electricity powering most of Bastion, the current was intermittent at best.

Faymore had once been the mayor of Backwater…a good natured man that was always the first to laugh at himself and the mistakes that he made. He had been born and raised through Backwater and he was the first mayor to ever be voted in unanimously; not a single vote had been cast for his competitor any year that he had ran for mayor. His once blond hair was now completely silver (he would never say it was gray as he wasn't _that_ old) and his once smiling face was now weathered and leathery from the constant stress of his position. It was unfortunate that Faymore held a position of such responsibility and was as old as he was; Stone thought that he would have made an excellent Ranger…his fighting spirit was just as large as his sense of humour. Faymore, from what he could gather and what he had been told, had actually been the first leader that the survivors had seen…he had been the one to lead them to Bastion and establish it as a human fortress. It had been suggested more than once that Faymore lead Bastion in its entirety and the council be only for advisory purposes. Faymore, however, always refused saying that it would take far more intelligence than he had to run the place.

Contrastingly, Striker was younger than Faymore yet older than Stone and Chris. Most people figured he was in his late thirties to early forties and had once been a mechanic. That being said, the same people wondered how on Earth a man like Striker had managed to be elected to the council. Most people figured that it was his skills putting machines, cars, and anything else mechanical back together or building them from scratch. Put simply, without Striker Bastion wouldn't run. Striker had created the electric lines that kept Bastion running in addition to the cars he had repaired for patrol use. His stone gray eyes and raven hair were rather unique, as was his height. Striker stood at six foot six and often had to duck while he walked down Bastion's many passages.

"Well, now that the upstart is gone, I believe that you came here for a purpose gentlemen?" Striker said as he sat back down and rested his feet on the table that ran the length of the chamber to be used by councilors.

"Yes, please do go on gentlemen. Sadly, like Lt. Pine indicated, most of us did indeed figure that you two had passed on. But, I am overjoyed at the return of two of Bastion's favoured sons…or so the ladies tell me," Faymore said with a wink, "Now, if you boys aren't too tired I'd like to hear your story including the part how you came back with one extra."

Stone stepped forward to begin the report; it had been his operation after all…it was his responsibility to deliver the primary report on the operation. As he opened his mouth to speak, Stone suddenly sensed that something was wrong…very wrong…within Bastion. That feeling, however, would have to wait. The Rangers might believe his intuitions, but the council wouldn't.

"Yes Councilor. As you know, Chris and I left Bastion shortly before midnight bound for Camp Delta, where I had been a prisoner and was rescued by Chris and his group. We successfully reached Delta shortly before midnight after avoiding a Skyclaw patrol on our way across the old field," Stone relayed, glancing back at Chris who knew full well that he was not even hinting at the Cavern's existence, "Although we entered Delta successfully, we were aided by an unknown party in our raid."

This brought bewildered and rather concerned looks to the faces of the Councilors. The only people that had known about the raid were Chris, Stone, and the Council. No one other than them should have known about the raid.

"This third party…did they help or hinder your efforts?" Striker inquired.

"Councilors believe me when I say that without the help of the third party we would not have been even remotely successful in penetrating the interior defenses of Delta. These other fighters reminded me of…well they reminded me of Power Rangers," Stone said, trying not to smile as he continued, "They wore suits and had helmets and bore weapons the likes I had never seen. They did things that I could only imagine of doing. They told Chris and I about the changes the Baliens had made to the camp since I had escaped which was instrumental in rescuing Johnny here. After realizing that it was hopeless to save anyone else tonight, we escaped, once again, with the aid of the Rangers. At long last, Councilors, it would seem that we are not fighting this battle alone."

"And if I may, Councilors, I would like to add that the Baliens consistently smell worse every time I'm graced with their presence," Chris said, mustering laughs from the others.

"So, this young one's name is Johnny is it? Well Johnny, welcome to Bastion. I'm sure you'll excuse us if we don't offer the five star service you may have been accustomed to but it's warm, dry, and more importantly, it's safe," Striker said, welcoming the boy in his own way.

"Don't worry, uh…sir…it's a five star establishment compared to Delta," Johnny said as he stepped forward, unaccustomed to talking to authority figures.

_Get ready to be shocked_, Stone said to Chris via thought.

"Councilors, I hate to break up the welcome party but there's something of greater concern that we need to discuss. When we reached the slave domicile area of Delta the only slave left in one area was Johnny…everyone else had been sent off to Omega to be what Johnny had said were 'subjects'. This has got to be serious, whatever it is, as over 100 slaves have been sent off to Omega. There are only 150 slaves left in Delta by my estimates. That means that over half of the slaves have indeed been sent off to Omega. We've never seen this kind of behaviour from the Baliens before," Stone said as he glanced to Chris who had his mouth gaping open in shock despite his mental warning.

"Subjects you say? Johnny what did you hear while you were at Delta?" Faymore asked.

"Well…uh Councilor I guess it is huh? Every few hours ever since Stone escaped they would collect humans to be sent off to Omega to be subjects…the slaves that were left figured that we were being sent off to be used in some Balien experiment. What that experiment is, if there is one at all, we don't know, but that _would_ explain the whole subject part. The other disturbing part was that any slave sent off to Omega never came back. I don't know why they never chose me, but in the end I'm really glad they didn't. I figure that after the attack and the whole Ranger bit the rest of the slaves will be shipped off today," Johnny said, lowering his head as he realized the gravity of what that meant.

"That is likely the worst news I've heard in a _long_ time…no offence kid I know it isn't your fault…we asked and you reported. I'm sure you'll fit in here just fine. But the following matter is to be discussed by the adults in the room…you're far too young to be sent on a mission…" Striker said as he began to dismiss Johnny. With a nudge from Stone, Chris piped up.

"Actually sir if it wasn't for Johnny the three of us wouldn't be sitting here. On our way out a Balien saw us despite the Power Rangers best efforts. He fought with a ferocity I've never seen before. And frankly, with all due respect Councilors, if he doesn't go, I don't go," Chris said, putting his arm around Johnny.

"I never got that kinda treatment…" Stone cracked, breaking the silence.

"Well then I guess that's settled," Striker said as he sat up in his chair, preparing to get into the details of the meeting. "If what Johnny says is true we must be quick to act. We have little time to decide our course of action…a full council hearing is out of the question. We must decide here and now. It is indeed likely that the Baliens will transport the rest of the slaves to Omega today since their defenses have been compromised. Although you two were rather lucky in the fact that you made it to Delta and back unscathed, I sincerely doubt that even the three of you could do much to slow the slave exodus from Delta. You would need a full…" Striker began to explain, outlining his plan. He wasn't halfway through when Faymore interjected.

"I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you Striker," Faymore said, "The only thing a full force would accomplish would be greater casualties and mission failure. Although I do agree with you in the fact that it will take more than three, I think a force of only six or so would have a far greater chance of success. Besides, the fewer men there are, the fewer targets there are for the Baliens to shoot at."

"Wouldn't that mean that there are more guns firing at fewer people?" Chris said, alarmed by Faymore's logic.

Faymore grinned at Chris' comment. The light seemed to glare of the whiteness of his teeth, yet Faymore seemed weathered, beaten…simply tired. Stone had never noticed before, but he assumed now that the invasion and fighting had taken more out of Faymore than he had ever let on. He would have to keep an eye on the Councilor as time progressed – it was possible some of Stone's limited medical skills may be able to aid Faymore if he fell ill.

"Maybe you're right…but what we still lack is any idea as to how we're going to pull this off. Now, there are currently three of you for this operation and we figure you need six. You'll need a commanding officer to lead the mission as well as two other soldiers…any requests?" Striker said as he prepared to write down the soldiers that would be sent on the mission along with the Rangers.

"If it's all the same to you, Councilors, I would like to see how these two survived the first time," a voice said from the passageway. The Rangers spun around to see who had been monitoring their conversation. Not to their surprise it was Lt. Pine skulking about in the shadows leading to the chamber. Everyone had just assumed that Pine had stalked of back to the military level or even his living quarters. Apparently, they had been wrong.

"Lt. Pine I find it rather disturbing that you would be eavesdropping outside the council chamber…especially considering the fact that you had been dismissed," Striker snarled, rising to his feet.

"My apologies Councilor, but in my defense I did indeed return to the military but returned to apologize for my previous behaviour," Pine said, brown-nosing as far as his pointed nose would go.

"A likely story Lieutenant; make no mistake in thinking that I will blindly accept your explanation," Striker said, openly displeased at Striker's presence in the chamber. What made it worse was the smirk that was displayed on Pine's face…he knew that the Councilors could not turn down his request without cause and personal reasons were not justifiable cause to refuse his request. Both Striker and Faymore knew the soldiers that Pine would take along with him…they were lapdogs that ate out of Pine's hand.

"I request my two sergeants to round out the strike force Councilors," Pine said, making the Councilor's worst fears a reality. Everyone in the room knew that when push came to shove Pine and his sergeants, Briggs and Rathburn, had their lives in danger they would stop at nothing to escape the predicament, regardless of the cost. If saving themselves meant that others died, that was perfectly acceptable to the trio. If Bastion could afford to exile people from its walls those three would have been the first to be sent packing. Unfortunately, the resistance needed every hand they could get…even ones that did more harm than good at times.

"The Council accepts your requests and will acknowledge your position on the mission," Faymore said, watching the smile on Pine's face increase. "However, Lieutenant, we will unfortunately _not_ be making you the commanding officer."

Pine's smile dropped like a 300 pound anchor to the sea floor. His facial expression wavered somewhere between disappointment and all out rage. On one hand, the Council was playing into his hands by allowing him to attend the mission and giving him his preferred squadron, yet on the other they were ignoring his authority by not recognizing him as commanding officer. But if he wasn't the commanding officer, then who would be? He was the highest ranked on the mission…

"With all due respect, Councilors, I _am_ the highest ranked soldier on the mission."

"Not anymore Lieutenant. Barring any objections from Councilor Striker, I hereby promote Derek Stone to the rank of Captain. Go ahead and argue Pine, but every argument you have has been covered. As you said he survived a mission that no one thought he would and there are two people here that can stand witness to his deeds. Captain Stone will be the commanding officer on this operation and you and your sergeants will follow his orders. Should this not be to your satisfaction and I am told that you and your sergeants disobey orders, I give Captain Stone and his team permission to use whatever measures necessary to ensure mission success – even if that includes stripping you of your rank and weapons and leaving you where you stand. Are we clear?" Faymore concluded, trying to hold back the smile that wanted to mark his face at the expression on Lt. Pine's face.

"Crystal clear, Councilor. I will inform sergeants Briggs and Rathburn of the mission and will await Captain Stone and the rest of his team at the main gate," Pine said as he saluted and left.

"Councilors, I would to thank you for this sign of faith. I promise I will not fail you," Stone said, bowing to the Council. A few days ago Stone had entered Bastion for the first time and wondered where his life would take him. A few hours ago he had become the leader of the next generation of Power Rangers. Now, he was a Captain of the Bastion Guard and leading a group back to Delta once again to save the last of the humans. Striker smiled and brought up a map of Delta and the surrounding area that lead to Omega.

"I'm sure Councilor Faymore's faith is well invested. Now, to the mission details… I would suggest that you send part of your team to the outskirts of Delta to report on the activities inside the camp. Should the slaves still be inside the camp, the forward task force will move into the compound to initiate the rescue with the rear guard arriving to aid as soon as possible. If the slave caravan has moved out of Delta it will be the forward forces' task to locate the caravan and transmit it's location to the rear guard, co-coordinating a combined strike. The only question is if you can trust Pine and his flunkies," Striker said, calling up a map of Delta and its outlying territories and tracing the points along the computer generated display. Chris and Johnny both examined the map, memorizing the areas that would likely serve as good ambush points.

"Councilors, I'd like to suggest that the Baliens will move the humans at first light, which is only a few hours off. But I've noticed that there is really only one possible route to Omega that the Baliens could take without going completely out of their way," Chris said as me moved towards the map. "As you all know, well except for Johnny, Omega is located at the base of the Northlake Mountains. The only route between Omega and Delta is logically along the foothills leading into the mountains, passing by Northlake itself and traversing the old farm country. Now, I realize that they could go around, but after the attack the Baliens are going to want to get the humans to Omega as fast as possible and I'm sure they aren't going to think that we know about this. I say that the first squad waits in the foothills while the next waits at Northlake itself. We'll catch the caravan between a hammer and an anvil…they won't have anywhere to go."

Chris' plan was solid; the squads would be within eyesight of each other at all times should anything go wrong. The only problem was the Rangers couldn't morph whilst Pine and his sergeants were around; they would have to find a way to morph while out of sight. Glancing around, Chris realized that the other Rangers realized this as well. This would definitely make things rather interesting for the mission. Even Pine would realize that if Stone, Chris and Johnny disappeared and the Rangers showed up that the Rangers were the rebels themselves. They could only hope they wouldn't need to morph.

"If it's all the same to everyone, I've like to be in the Northlake squad. My parents had a cottage on Northlake so I know the area like the back of my hand. And who knows; maybe the Power Rangers will show up to give us a hand again and I can tell them where to go," Johnny said, moving closer to the Councilors. For a teenager of only sixteen, he had a rather large sense of responsibility. He simply accepted what had happened, and had now moved on to do what he could to make the situation better for everyone else. Johnny still remembered where he had been when the Baliens first showed up. He had been in Mrs. Wallace's biology class learning about the nervous system. He had never been one for biology, but he needed the class so he could progress into university in his desired field; life was funny like that. He remembered very little between seeing the initial assaults and seeing the Baliens run through the school taking prisoners and destroying all who stood in their way. He figured he had been knocked out in one of the blasts or that his mind had blocked out the section of his life for the better. Johnny had never been one to give up, but after weeks of toiling away at Delta even he had figured that his days were severely numbered. He didn't have his driver's license but he had watched people die. The smell of their corpses lying out in the summer sun would never escape his memory, no matter how hard he tried. It was hard to remember that everything that was now barren had once been lush forest, green pasture, or bustling city. Everything had been running like normal on the day that it all fell apart. But now, he was part of something greater, and this was his chance to but his experience to use.

"Your request, young one, is granted. But I would not be one to count on the aid of the Power Rangers, if those actually were Rangers and not just some costumed hooligans. But, be that as it may. If they decide to show up I'm not going to reject a helping hand especially in our time of greatest need. Now, since Johnny is going to be part of the Northlake team, who else is going to join him Stone?" Faymore said in a rather official manner despite the late hour.

"Although I'd normally split up Pine and his band of brown-nosers I think that wouldn't serve our best interests in this case. The Northlake squad will be composed of myself, Chris and Johnny. The foothill squad will be Pine, Briggs and Rathburn. They will serve as the rear guard and prevent the caravan from escaping our assault. Should they fail in their task, I will _personally_ remove Pine and sergeants of their weapons and their rank and leave them where they stand. The lives of those humans are far more important than any grudge that Pine had his lackeys have towards me," Stone proclaimed, his decision made. Stone, like everyone else, knew that if they failed the lives of over a hundred humans ended one way or another. Put simply, failure was not an option.

_Be careful Rangers, _Rion said through thought, _I sense danger greater than you could imagine awaits you._

"Then it's settled. We will inform Lt. Pine of the arrangements and brief him for you. As for you three," Faymore said, adjusting himself in his councilor's chair, "You three need that little sleep you'll get between now and first light."

With that, the Rangers saluted and left the council chamber to head to the living quarters. They discussed what Rion had warned them of, and what it could possibly mean. They were, after all, the ones doing the ambushing. The Rangers were fully aware that they were going to have to fight the Baliens that were guarding the caravan and that was danger enough even with their powers. They entertained the idea of teleporting to the Cavern, but decided against it, as they had barely enough energy to fall into bed, let alone stand and have a conversation with Rion about hypothetical dangers. For now, they decided, they would sleep.

Rion knew full well that the Rangers would not heed his warning; after all he had been a Ranger once as well. He could have teleported them to the Cavern of Power if he had set his mind to it, but he knew that the Rangers would be even more useless against the threat they would face if they were too tired to lift their weapons. What worried him the most was that this threat would be the Johnny's first test as a Ranger. He would be the first to admit that the teenager had spirit, and had one hell of a rebel attitude. Teenagers with attitude often made the best Power Rangers, as he had seen countless times.

The Protector knew that the Rangers would likely be successful in saving the human slaves being transported, but he had a dark, foreboding feeling that it would come at a great cost. He remembered that when he had been a Ranger that the Protector of that time, whose name eluded Rion at the moment except for the fact that it began with a Z, had used a sixth Ranger power to help them defeat the Gigan the Baliens had summoned the last invasion. What had been the Protector's name? Zoltar…Zaltan…Zordack…? Zordon…it had been Zordon.

Rion remembered fighting the Gigan well; it had almost destroyed them all after all. No matter how hard they fought or the wounds they inflicted the Gigan brushed off the damage as if being bitten by a mosquito. The Rangers had been all but defeated; lying on the ground, trying to tend to their numerous wounds, they waited for the blows that would destroy them. Then, it had happened.

Start Flashback

"Stand and face your doom you pitiful Rangers! Now you see that not even you can stand against the might of a Gigan," it bellowed, raising its weapon in challenge.

"At least we won't have anymore taxes where we're going," Kolthor joked, although it did little at alleviating the situation. The Rangers looked around at their surroundings, as it would likely be their last remembrance of life on Earth. The leaves on the trees that hadn't been destroyed were gold and crimson as autumn had taken its toll. The grass was swaying in the gentle breeze that swept across the field that had served as a battleground this last time. Rays of sunlight poured onto the field, warming the Ranger's faces, one last time. Rion hadn't been afraid of death; none of the Rangers had been. They had cheated death enough times to know that sooner or later their dance with the reaper wouldn't be put off any longer. It had been Terra who had first noticed it.

"Look…at the sun…there's something there…" Terra, the pink ranger, said softly.

The Rangers glanced towards the sun, searching for whatever Terra had seen that had alarmed her enough to make her speak in such a dire situation. Looking at the sun, just as they knew, was a rather blinding experience, and they couldn't really make anything out against the glare of the sun. Finally, however, they saw it. A golden dragon, complete with rider wielding a saber, was flying right towards them. The Gigan had noticed it too, for he had halted his advance towards the Rangers to deal their death blows.

"They might not be able to," the figure called down, "but I can!"

With a deafening roar, the dragon swooped down clawing the Gigan and exhaling his fiery breath over him. Finally, the Gigan had suffered some injury…unfortunately at this point the Rangers were in absolutely no shape to fight. The rider vaulted off the dragon's back and brought his blade down, slashing the Gigan's chest and leaving a deep gash.

"Who in the blazes of Bali are you!" the Gigan growled, making reference to the Balien's home planet.

The Ranger's eyes were still adjusting to the light, as they were no longer looking at the sun. They, however, would soon have their answer even without being able to see the figure.

"I, you ugly Gigan bastard, am the gold Ranger", the figure said; brandishing his saber before him, ready to meet the Gigan in combat. "Don't worry Rangers; I've got this one."

The Rangers watched in awe as this gold Ranger made short work of the Gigan that had given them so much trouble over the weeks. More than once the Gigan had nearly destroyed every one of the Rangers at some point, or even all of them together. This new Ranger made the Gigan seem like a normal Balien that the Rangers could dispatch at any given time. Almost before it had started, the battle was over and the Gigan had been all but destroyed. As the gold Ranger moved forward to finish the Gigan with one saber stroke, he simply kicked the Gigan in the gut again.

"You tell Auron this Gigan; you tell him that there's a new Ranger around that can make you useless. You tell him that he and his Balien bastards are going to lose this war once and for all. And most importantly, you tell him that his days are numbered, that I'm coming for him," the gold Ranger growled into the Gigan's ear, just loud enough for the Gigan to pick up. The Gigan snarled at the gold Ranger and drew itself to its feet and ran off into the forest.

The gold Ranger walked over to the downed Rangers and waved his saber over them, instantly washing away their fatigue, pain, and healing their wounds. The Rangers got back to their feet, thanked their golden saviour, yet were still wary of him. They had been told, after all, that there were only five power gems. Where did this sixth Ranger come from?

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, as to who I am and how there is indeed a sixth Ranger. I assure you I will answer them all in time, for now, however, just be satisfied with this," the gold Ranger said as he began to remove his helmet. The five Rangers waited with baited breath as the Ranger's head was freed from the encasing helmet. There was a collective gasp as the Ranger's identity was revealed, but it was Rion who spoke first.

"You! But how…"

End Flashback

The explanation that the gold Ranger had offered was absolutely astounding. The Protector had safeguarded the sixth Ranger power from the Rangers without them even knowing that there was something being safeguarded. In fact, Rion had done the same thing to the current generation of Rangers, not only because it had to be done, but because if they had the choice they would all likely want to be the sixth Ranger since the golden powers were the strongest of all the Ranger powers. Wielding the mighty Dragonsaber and controlling the Dragon were powers that a rookie just could not control. They had to be unlocked by the Protector; only then would a normal Ranger be able to use them. Where they were located was one of the few secrets that had to be kept by the Protector. Rion knew that Stone had noticed the fact that he always stood over the circular design within the Cavern of Power. What Stone didn't know was why. In truth, behind the wall of statues was another hidden alcove where the sixth Ranger powers rested. They could only be accessed by the Protector standing on the circular floor crest and needing the powers. Rion had never had to use them before so he was quite unsure as to how the whole process worked. He knew, however, that he had to find a way to use them.

Standing on the circular crest, he raised his staff. "By the powers of the ancients I call forth the dragon!"


	5. Chapter 4: Ambush at Northlake Pass

**Chapter 4**

**Ambush at Northlake Pass; An Oath Kept; A Path Chosen**

Northlake had once been the premier vacation spot for all of Backwater state. It's tranquil, crystal clear waters had been ideal for family outings, teenage parties, and an all-around good time. The mountain pass that lead to Northlake from Backwater gave a breath-taking view of Northlake and the surrounding area; or at least it had. Now, the pass only gave viewers a clear scene of the destruction that had claimed Backwater, as well as the rest of the world. The Northlake beach had been littered with broken branches of the trees that had enclosed most of the lake; the mighty Northlake Forest was now nothing more than burnt timber and ashes. The cool breeze coming off the lake towards the mountain pass reeked of smoke, and chilled the six rebels as they made their way to the ambush point. Much to the Rangers surprise, Pine, Briggs, and Rathburn had not let a single word of complaint escape their lips the entire trek to Northlake. It was good they hadn't, since Pine had been 20 minutes late for the start of the operation. When questioned, Pine had replied that he had been scouting around Delta and had in fact seen the caravan of slaves being prepared and sent this way. It had taken all of the rebels greatest efforts to reach this pass before the advance Balien scouts did. On the way to Northlake, Stone and the Rangers had already reminded Pine of the consequences if he and his group should decide they did not want to follow the orders, which they had also been reminded of. Stone had been assured by Pine that he would not fail; and that was what worried him. For Pine to be so…nice…wasn't natural; something had to be up. For now, however, the Rangers would have to trust Pine; they didn't have time to question him. They would almost have to fly to reach their holding point at Northlake if this mission was to going to be a success. Seeing that Pine and his group were settled and hidden, the Rangers set off to their holding point on the edge of what had once been Northlake Forest.

"With all due respect sir," Briggs said rather loudly, considering they were indeed lying in wait for an ambush, "I can't stand that Stone and his merry little band of his do-gooders."

"Yeah", Rathburn grunted in, tearing himself away from his dreams of a thanksgiving meal, "I know we're supposed to be on the same side and all, but this guy is ridiculous. There's no way he's going to be able to do half the things he says he will. And why are we even on the same side as him…I mean I'm not one for dying and all that and my math isn't so good, but even I know that there are far more Baliens than there are of us."

"See, this is why I don't let you to do the thinking," Pine snarled quietly, "Do you really think I was out at Delta scouting this morning? I indeed was at Delta, but I was sealing a deal that will keep our corpses warm and breathing for a long time."

"What do you mean by that sir?" Briggs questioned, taking his eyes off the road he was supposed to be watching.

"What I mean by that, you numbskull, is that the Balien leader, General Auron, and I have reached an agreement. We will unfortunately be 'captured' while on this mission, leaving only Stone and his friends to stop the Baliens that are guarding the caravan. And since I casually mentioned their location, and the fact that they were planning an ambush, Auron decided that the Balien cause would be best served by sending four squadrons to guard the caravan."

Briggs and Rathburn were both stunned by their leader's decision, but at the same time they were also impressed. This meant that they didn't have to fight a losing battle or live in a hole in the ground anymore. And at the same time Stone and his little group got the reward that was coming to them…even prophetic Stone wouldn't be able to stop four squadrons, totaling 80 Baliens, with his two friends. Their only hope was that the mythical Power Rangers would make an appearance to save their sorry hides.

"Now, if you two are quite done staring at me like fish out of water, I believe it's about high time that we take the long way to Omega and meet our most gracious benefactor there. If Stone and his friends somehow live through this, which they could only do if they pulled another miracle, and they see us with the Baliens, we'll have all of Bastion hunting us down," Pine said, as he moved to get up. His timing, however, was too late. The Balien caravan was already approaching the group, and Auron himself was coming up to speak to Pine; all in plain view of the Rangers.

The remaining slaves stationed at Delta had been awake since Stone had spoken to them through the fence of the adjacent domicile area. At the time, they had wondered why Stone and the boy with him had been unable to save them, but it had soon become apparent. All the slaves had seen the Balien guards coming to attack Stone and the slave, just as they had all seen the two disappear in a flash of blinding red light.

Zoe Ashenvale had been one of the slaves awoken by Stone's rescue attempt last night. It seemed to her as though her emotions were run by Stone's exploits at Delta. She, like all the others, had openly cheered when they learned of Stones escape, despite the punishment they knew they would receive. Zoe, however, had been upset as well…despite swearing to have nothing to do with men anymore, seeing as she had been hurt far too many times, she found herself falling for Stone. They had never touched, or even spoken for that matter, but he had taken the lashes from a Balien slaver in her stead. Well, even that wasn't entirely true. She had been on her knees, waiting for the bite of the whip on her back when she saw Stone rush up and tackle the Balien slaver. In all the confusion that followed, she escaped back to her domicile where she rocked and cried herself to sleep. She learned later that Stone had been sent to the stockade for his insubordination, and she couldn't help but feel responsible. The impressive part was that Stone returned from the stockade, as he did every subsequent time he had been sent there.

With Stone's return last night, she had felt her heart pounding at just the sight of him. Stone freeing her, along with the rest of the slaves, would have been a pure bonus in relation to being near him again. Now, however, her hope of seeing him was slowly fading.

Zoe now sat in the back of one of the many trailers that housed all of the Delta humans en route to Omega, where no human had returned from. She also knew that the caravan was being guarded by no less than 80 Baliens, including the big lion himself. No one knew the lion's name, but all of the humans knew that he was the one in charge of Delta and likely the entire Balien invasion. Most whispered that not even Stone could get them out of this one. Still, she hoped that Stone would show up to try just the same. As the caravan trundled over the Northlake Pass, she closed her eyes and began to pray, hoping that the tears would not flow.

_Please, _Zoe prayed, _let him come and fight. Give us a chance…not just for me, but for everyone here. Just this once._

_**BOOM!**_

Almost simultaneously all the slaves, including Zoe, stood up looking for the source of the explosion. Glancing towards Northlake they saw three lone figures rushing towards the caravan. Much to Zoe's pleasure, Stone was leading the charge.

"I knew it! Pine and his goddamn sergeants are working for the Baliens…and that leaves only us against…lemme see here…carry the four…80 Baliens. Why can't things go according to plan just once!" Chris groaned as he got up to blow the charges he set in the side of the mountain to block off the Baliens escape, should Pine fail. Waiting for the entire caravan to be through the Pass, Chris flicked the switch that would block the Baliens path back to Delta.

"One day, whether it's today or a decade from now, I'll see that Pine pays for this," Stone roared as he too got up in preparation of the charge they would make towards the caravan. For all any of them knew, this would be the last charge they ever made in the name of freedom.

Stone glanced at Johnny, making sure the young teenager was prepared for what would come. One look was all Stone needed; Johnny was ready. They had already taught Johnny how to morph as they were waiting for the caravan…they had nothing else to do and they had figured that they would need their powers in the assault.

"Ready boys?" Stone asked as he inhaled deeply. "There's no helping it now…the Baliens guarding the caravan will see us morph no matter what we do. We'll morph when we need to." Johnny and Chris nodded their assent and began to charge the caravan along side Stone. They could see the Balien guards shouting and pointing in disarray at the confusion created by the distracting explosion. Glancing at Chris, Johnny could see the smile on his face as the distraction he had set had more than done its job. The Baliens didn't know whether to look at the destroyed mountainside or whether to look down the road at the approaching figures. The few, precious moments of confusion afforded the Rangers the time they needed to bridge the distance between their holding point and the stony Pass where the caravan had halted. Drawing their weapons, the Rangers crashed into the mass of Balien guards that had moved to intercept them. It felt strange to both Stone and Chris to be fighting the Baliens without using their Ranger powers, but they figured they should try and avoid being dependent on them, for fear that one day they would not have them. In fact, they were surprised that they were doing quite well in their human forms…their Ranger weapons were serving them well. Fighting in a tight knit group, Stone looked to see how Johnny was doing.

The newest Ranger was holding his own rather well, using the Lunax to destroy and push back every Balien that tried to strike him. It was a large relief that Stone and Chris would not have to watch out for the young black Ranger. Strike by strike, foot by foot, the Rangers moved closer and closer to the trailers that housed the human slaves. Soon enough, however, the Rangers realized that they simply were not moving fast enough. The Baliens were beginning to organize themselves in a way that would not be of any help to the Rangers.

"Chris, Johnny, you hold the Baliens here and work towards the trailers. I'm going to move ahead and work at the Baliens surrounding the trailers themselves…we'll meet in the middle," Stone said as his Ashblade dispatched yet another Balien. Chris spun his Skystaff before him, disarming three Baliens in a single pass.

"Why do I always get stuck in the group that gets to do all the fighting and you get to do all the public relations? Moreover, why am I always left to be the hero?" Chris said breathlessly as he fended off yet another Balien intent on skewering him on his blade.

"Just go Stone," Johnny said as his Lunax sliced through the arm of the Balien closest to him. "I'll make sure Chris doesn't let the glory of being a hero go to his head." Chris couldn't help but laugh as he brought his Skystaff down on the head of a tiger-faced Balien. Stone nodded and ran towards the nearest trailer, ready to meet whatever fate was set for him.

"You see General?" Pine said as he bowed to Auron, "My information was indeed true."

"Yes, pathetic human, it was," Auron sneered, "However your three meager rebel friends are killing my Balien troops far faster than I can recruit them from Bali!"

Pine backed away from the mighty lion General, figuring that if he said anything further his life might be forfeit in the eyes of the Balien. Auron sighed heavily…it was so hard to find good help these days. He would have to use the weapons he had been saving for the final assault on the human stronghold far earlier than he expected, but at least his project at Omega would be kept on schedule.

"Captain Kong," Auron said, motioning towards an ape Balien, "Send a relay to Omega…we'll be needing the squad of Gigans at this location immediately." Kong saluted and rushed off to the command trailer at the end of the caravan, hoping he would have enough time to send the message.

_Last time five humans couldn't kill _one _Gigan, and they were Rangers, _Auron thought to himself with amusement. _Let's see how three humans do against twelve of them. No…twelve is a waste…one should indeed suffice this time. I just hope the blood doesn't dirty my uniform._

Through the steel slats of the trailer, Zoe and the other slaves in the first trailer watched Stone as he cut a bloody path towards their trailer, his blade seeming as if it was a part of his body.

"Graymane, attack that human scum!" Zoe heard the big lion roar. Immediately, the wolf that had stood beside the lion Balien rushed forward with his spear and struck at Stone. Zoe's breath seemed to be caught in her throat as Stone dueled with the Balien. It seemed as though despite Stone's best efforts of deflecting, attacking, and vaulting over the Balien with all his energy, the human was fighting a losing battle. To Zoe's relief, Stone's friends, she thought he heard Stone call the wiry one Chris and the younger one Johnny, were on their way to help him fight. Before Zoe knew it, however, Graymane's spear had caught Stone's arm, leaving a deep gash along his forearm that dripped blood all over the ground. Stone stumbled back, nearly dropping his sword in surprise.

"Stone!" Zoe called out to him as he glanced her way and smiled. He had seen her; that was for sure.

"See what happens you leave me to be the hero?" Chris said, setting himself in a balanced stance to fight Graymane. With a growl, Graymane advanced towards Chris, who charged out to meet the Balien. Spear and Skystaff met in a resounding _crack_ as the blue Ranger and the Balien jockeyed for position. Growing bored with the deadlock, Graymane took a clawed paw off the spear and slashed Chris' chest, leaving four bloody scratches. Chris groaned and fell to the ground. Feeling the anger flowing through him, Johnny leapt forward to block Graymane's spear from delivering the fatal strike into Chris.

"Are all Baliens as ugly as you, or are you the exception?" Johnny said, kicking Graymane back. Even Johnny however, did not escape the encounter without wound. As Graymane fell back he lashed out with his spear, knocking Johnny to the ground with a _thud_. Regrouping, the three humans got to their feet. Zoe closed her eyes and began to pray.

"Give up humans," Graymane said as he brought his spear in front of him, ready to attack again, "You cannot beat me!"

"You know what fur-brain? You're right. We can't," Chris said with a faked resignation, "But as Rangers we can."

Zoe felt her heart skip a beat. _Rangers…_she thought, _but that means…_

Standing together, the Rangers extended their arms before them and cried "For freedom!"

In flashes of red, blue and black light, the humans were gone and in their place stood Power Rangers. A resounding silence fell on the Pass as both the Baliens and human slaves took in the scene they had just witnessed. Thunderous cheers erupted from the humans, complete with tears of joy. The Rangers had returned to save the humans.

"Now," Stone, the red Ranger said, "where were we?" The Rangers set themselves to attack Graymane, brandishing their weapons in their attack positions. Graymane snarled, waiting for the Rangers to attack.

"Unfortunately, wretched humans, I must interrupt you there," Auron snarled from his command vehicle, "I have a little present for you that I must insist you accept." Auron pointed to the sky as a Balien airship began to descend over the battlefield.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Johnny sighed as he turned his attention to the airship.

"You two get the humans out of here…teleport them back to Bastion…our secret's out anyways. I'll handle whatever Auron's got for us. No arguments Chris. Just go!" Stone said as he charged, once again, to the airship.

Johnny and Chris set themselves to opening the human trailers, releasing the human slaves. Zoe was one of the first slaves to be freed. She moved forward to watch Stone fight, but was soon marshaled into a large grouping of humans by the blue Ranger. All the slaves had been freed and the blue Ranger was yelling orders.

"Everyone listen, we have little time! Join hands with the people next to you. And no, we're not getting a camp fire going and singing Kumbiya," Chris said as he physically joined the hands of those that weren't moving fast enough for his liking.

"Hurry, do as he says!" Johnny said as he fended off the few Baliens that were attempting to reach the humans. With the last one killed, Johnny joined the circle.

_I only hope this works_, Chris thought.

Focusing on the gathering area of Bastion in his mind, Chris could feel the black Ranger lending his mental effort to his. Slowly, the Rangers felt the group being pulled into Bastion.

Opening their eyes, the Rangers saw the stony walls of Bastion surrounding them. Many of the slaves were on the ground kissing the dirt beneath their feet. It was far from the Hilton, but it was far better than their slave domiciles. Zoe rushed to the Rangers, who were standing in the middle of the crowd of humans, being praised and thanked for their heroics.

"What about the red Ranger?" Zoe called. The Rangers didn't hear her over the tumult of noise coming from the group. Pushing and shoving her way through the Rangers, Zoe finally caught the black Ranger's attention.

"You're just going to leave the red Ranger?" she demanded of the Rangers.

"Look I'm sure you're upset about a guy you don't even know, but he charged that airship so you and the other slaves could reach this far. And seeing as he ordered me to stay here and take care of you all I'm doing as he wishes. He'll be fine."

Zoe sighed, hoping that she would see Stone again, and that he was indeed fine.

Stone, however, was far from fine. The airship had dropped a gigantic bull-like Balien onto the battlefield, to the cheers of the remaining handful of Baliens. Auron had mocked Stone as he called the Minotaur a Gigan and told him that the Rangers of the last millennia had been unable to defeat it without the aid of a sixth Ranger. Stone thought that Auron was bluffing, seeing as there were only five power statues. He soon found out, however, that Gigans were near impossible to injure.

Stone was unsure how long he and the Gigan crossed blades. Hours and days both seemed likely. The red Ranger found himself lying on the ground; bloody, bruised and broken. Put simply, he knew he was going to die.

_At least the slaves are safe_ Stone thought with a smile. He had seen the girl that he had saved during his tenure at Delta. He learned from other slaves that her name was Zoe. He had wished that before he had escaped he could have seen her one more time and said goodbye. Be that as it may, there was nothing he could do now. He looked to the sun one last time, feeling his face bask in the warmth it provided. Something was wrong though…it looked to Stone as if something was coming _out_ of the sun. _I probably have a concussion from when he slammed me into the mountains with his horns_ Stone thought sullenly. As his angle of vision changed, however, he knew he was right. Something _had_ come out of the sun; a golden dragon with a rider that were approaching from behind the Baliens and the rocks that blocked off the pass.

"And so you see, feeble human, that even as a Ranger you cannot stop a Gigan," the Gigan growled as he moved forward to finish Stone off. Faster than he thought possible, the dragon and its rider were standing upon the rocks that blocked the pass.

"He might not be able to," the rider called, "but I can!" With a roar, the dragon swept down and used it giant talons to claw the Gigan to the ground. Swooping up, the rider flipped off. To Stone's shock, the helmetless rider was Rion, their Protector, clad in golden armour with a dragon emblazoned on his chest in silver. In Rion's right hand was a saber whose hilt was a dragon with its jaws open, as if the blade of the saber was it's fire.

"No…not you….you can't be…" Auron murmured as he stepped out of command vehicle, "You're the…"

"Gold Ranger? Yeah I'm aware," Rion said as he turned to face the Minotaur, "And you, Gigan scum, are about to die."

Rion charged the Gigan, attacking the monster with a downward slash. The strike left a deep slash, finally drawing blood from the giant bull-like creature. After that, however, the battle seemed to be rather evenly matched. Gigan and Rion met each other blow for blow, strike for strike. After what seemed to Stone like hours, which in reality had only been minutes, Stone pulled himself to his feet. Reaching down to pick up his Ashblade, he began to move towards the battling Gigan and Rion.

_Those gold Ranger powers must have been the ones that Auron was talking about when he mentioned the sixth Ranger_ Stone thought, _Must be pretty strong for them to be able to hurt that thing._

"I will not see that Gigan defeated!" Auron growled, "If it can't destroy the red Ranger then I will!" Auron grabbed Graymane's spear and hurled it like a javelin towards the red Ranger. Stone, focused on the Gigan, didn't see the spear hurtling towards him. Rion, however, did. In the blink of an eye, Rion had knocked the Gigan down and had dove to knock down the spear with his saber. Standing with his back to the Gigan, Rion got up.

"Guess I owe you one huh?" Stone said, trying to joke off the shock of nearly dying.

"Yeah you…argh!" Horns protruded from Rion's belly, impaling the gold Ranger instantly. Time seemed to slow for Stone. The smile on Rion's face vanished only to be replaced with an anguished look of extreme pain. Auron laughed in triumph, as the only threat to his Gigan menace had been removed in a single fight. Stone screamed, and the Gigan roared, hurling Rion's corpse off its horns. Stone acted without thinking; he picked up Rion's saber and thrust it into the Gigan's stomach, pulling up until the blade was free of the Gigan's body. The Minotaur grunted as blood and entrails oozed from the Gigan's body as it fell to the ground in a limp mass. Turning to face Auron, Stone flourished the two swords.

"You may have one this battle Ranger," Auron rumbled, "But you haven't won the war!" With that, the remaining Baliens boarded the airship and rocketed off. Removing his helmet, Stone rushed over to Rion's body.

"This is all my fault Rion," Stone said raising the Protector's head, "I should have looked…If I had you wouldn't have…"

"Quiet young one. What is meant to be will be. I have little time left and there is much for me to say," Rion said as he coughed blood onto his golden armour. "Most important is the fact that the circular crest on the floor of the cavern will give way to another alcove. There you must seek out your destiny," Rion wheezed. "When I took the mantle of Protector, I swore that I would not only protect the powers for later use, but that I would protect the Rangers themselves should the need arise. That is what the gold Ranger powers are for… In fact, they are more powerful than all of the other powers combined…the golden powers are Force of Ages Ranger powers."

"Force of Ages? What…"

"Please do not interrupt Stone! My time is fading as it is! When I'm gone take the dragon bracer and the Dragonsaber and go the Cavern of Power. Stand on the circular crest and summon forth the dragon. That will be the beginning of your Journey of Ages. The alcove that will open is where you must hide the golden powers when you no longer need them…" Rion began to fade, both in spirit and physically, "You must be Protector when the time comes…may…the power…protect…you…" With a deep sigh, Rion disappeared from Stone's arms.

"And you too, dear friend," Stone said, wiping the tears that stung his eyes. He rose to his feet, looking around at the scene before him. The trailers that had housed the human slaves in the caravan from Delta to Omega stood empty; the humans rescued and presumably in Bastion by this point. The rotting carcass of the Gigan began to stink in the heat of the late morning sun, reminding Stone that he and the other Rangers would need these Force of Ages powers to even stand a chance of winning against these Gigans. His destiny, it would seem, lay in the same Cavern where his life as a Ranger had began. For now, however, he would return to Bastion to a hero's welcome.

The gathering area was full of boisterous noise and celebration, as the survivors that called Bastion home welcomed the slaves that had just arrived. Tears and affection could be found in every corner as families were reunited after a long period of fear and separation. It was in all this excitement that Chris and Johnny stood, once again, before Faymore and Striker. They had told the councilors about Pine and his sergeants' betrayal and how it nearly led to the failure of the mission. The councilors were shocked, but not overly surprised at the fact that Pine had joined the Baliens to save his own skin.

"Your actions should be commended gentlemen," Faymore said, walking out from behind the council table to shake the Rangers' hands. The Rangers tried to smile, seeing as they saved over a hundred lives, but…

"Sir, we're worried about Stone," Johnny said, as he shook Faymore's hand.

"We'll send a squad out to see if we can find him, but he _is _a Ranger, like you two after all. I'm still shocked at the fact that you three are Rangers and didn't tell us…but I guess that comes with the job eh?" Striker said, leaning back in his chair.

Before Chris could thank the councilor for his concern, the gathering area erupted in tumultuous cheers and applause. "Don't bother councilor, I assume the commotion means that Stone is home," Chris said with a grin. The group of four walked out of the council chamber to view the scene of celebration in the gathering area. Stone was in the middle of the group of humans, being thanked, praised, hugged, and cheered as he shook hands with anyone that thrust one towards him. In truth, he felt like a celebrity.

Despite all the people thanking him for his actions, Zoe wanted to thank Stone more than anyone else in the room. Slowly, she worked her way through the mass of people thanking Stone until she was face to face with him.

"I never got to thank you for saving me," Zoe said as she offered her hand to Stone. He smiled, and took her hand.

"I never got to say goodbye," Stone said, shaking her hand and kissing her softly on her cheek. "But for now, I have to go…there's something I have to do." Squeezing Zoe's hand, Stone walked through the crowd towards the Rangers and the Councilors.

"Well, well…looks like the hero gets the girl…as usual…so where's mine?" Chris joked, drawing laughs from everyone but Stone. "What's the matter pal, don't like competition?"

"Rion's dead," Stone said as he lowered his head. "I have to go…we don't stand a chance against the thing I faced that killed Rion. They're called Gigans…they're giant monsters that our weapons have no effect against. Rion told me what I have to do with his dying breath. I need you two to hold the fort here while I go find the Force of Ages he was talking about. I don't expect you to understand, just please accept that this is how things have to be for the time being. I promise I'll be back." Stone turned to go when Chris spoke up.

"You gonna be ok chief?" he asked, knowing that there was something very wrong with his friend. Stone slid the dragon bracer on and slid showed them the Dragonsaber.

"With these, I should be fine. This power is what Rion used to fight the Gigan…it worked until the Gigan killed him. I start my journey in the Cavern. Chris, you're in charge while I'm gone…remember we still need two more Rangers. Be on the lookout while I'm gone. May the power protect you." Stone walked away, hoping that the rescued slaves would let him pass without incident, which luckily they did. Reaching the mouth of one of the entrance tunnels to Bastion, Stone formed a clear picture of the Cavern in his mind and vanished in a flash of light.

"Please be careful Stone…I love you," Zoe said just above a whisper, wiping away the tears that came from watching Stone leave her once again.

The Cavern of Power had changed since Stone had seen it last. It now had a waterfall in the corner, whose thunderous sound seemed to calm Stone down despite what had happened. He walked over to the circular design and looked at it carefully. The crest itself had runes in it that he didn't understand, nor ever would, and pictures of beasts that he couldn't make out due to the wear of the crest.

Something else was missing from the Cavern though. In knowing Rion the few short hours, he had been such a large part of Stone's life. He had given the three Rangers their powers, which they in turn had used to save the lives of all the slaves at Delta…and their fight wasn't over yet. Although it was great so many lives had been saved, the Rangers, as well as the Councilors, faced the problem of both housing and feeding all the freed humans. Bastion simply didn't have the resources to accommodate so many people. They would have to find somewhere else to house humans and create a new stronghold…maybe they would move back into one of the cities. There was so much that needed to be done that in truth Stone could ill afford this journey he had to go on to find the Force of Ages; assuming it still exists and that he can find it. Just the thought of the journey he was about to embark on made him tired. His stomach rumbled its agreement, making Stone realize he hadn't eaten in a good 24 hours.

_What_ _I'd give for a steak, some mashed potatoes, some gravy and a cold beer_, Stone thought, closing his eyes, visualizing the meal and all its tantalizing smells. Sighing at the thought of not eating for a few more days, Stone opened his eyes and found, to his surprise, the meal he had imagined in front of him. Then he remembered…the Cavern gives you what you want…that was the answer! He ate his meal rather hastily and focused on the thought of crates of food appearing in Bastion's eating area. Although he wasn't there to see them appear, he was sure that they indeed did. He figured that the crates of food would last for months…hopefully he'd be back long before their supplies ran out.

Putting the empty plate aside, Stone walked to the statue of Rion, placing the bracelet back on his stony wrist and putting the Ashblade back in his hands. It needed to be done, but Stone still felt that by giving the statue back the power bracelet and Ashblade that Rion was truly gone, leaving only his statue as a memento of his deeds. He knew that Rion wouldn't have wanted him to dwell on the past whilst there was something that needed to be done. Moving to stand on the circular crest, Stone held the Dragonsaber high.

"I summon forth the dragon!" Stone shouted.

Instantly, the Cavern began to change before his eyes. The wall of statues rumbled inwards at one corner, revealing a passage way lit by golden flamed torches. Sheathing the Dragonsaber in its place over his shoulder, Stone began to walk down the long passage. Stone half-expected the passage to close behind him, sealing him in to face whatever was at the passage's end. To his delight, however, it did not. Like almost every other passage related to the Cavern, this one ended in another open area. Five golden discs adorned the circumference of the area, with a golden circle in the exact center of the room. Looking around, Stone saw, like usual, runes engraved around the five golden discs as well as around the golden circle on the floor of the room. Standing in the circle, the air before him dancing with light; no, not light…words written in light.

"Those who stand true, are not many but few - To harness the power against darkness you must not cower - To hold the Force of Ages you must be ready to travel the galaxy's pages - Across the galaxy the powers lie guarded by the Eltar High - Stand forth young mortal, your destiny lies beyond this portal" Stone read aloud to the tranquility of the room. Unfortunately, Stone didn't have time to even consider what the verses meant, for he was gone in flash of white light, leaving only the fading words to illuminate the emptiness of the room.

Since the arrival of the Delta humans, Bastion had been a hub of activity. Johnny had been set to the task of finding places where all the humans could stay. Chris volunteered to be the one to speak to the full council the next afternoon to discuss long term plans of Bastion. The chamber was ripe with stale air from all of the hotheads that had decided to attend the meeting to make sure their two cents were heard, even though their opinions mattered little to the full council. Chris, however, realized that there was a far greater threat than finding accommodation for all of the humans.

"Believe me when I say that I would like to believe that we're now winning this war, but I was never one to live a lie," Chris said despite the dagger glares he got from the council. "Now that Pine is on the Baliens' side that means that this location has been compromised. He not only knows where this stronghold is but also where both the entrances and the defenses are located. We _have_ to abandon this location! We no longer have the privilege of choice," Chris cried, needing to get his point across.

"And where would you have us go?" a councilor whose name Chris did not know said as she got up from her seat.

"Honestly? I have no idea. But the city seems as good an idea as any," Chris said, once again ignoring the looks on the councilor's faces…this time they were of absolute shock. "Now I know that that's a _lot_ of territory to cover and I'm not suggesting that we inhabit all of our old homes. We use the downtown core to our advantage and turn office buildings into living space. I'm sure Johnny and I can scrounge up some weapons to defend the city with…big laser cannons and aircraft. In terms of manpower we have more humans living here than we ever have. That's more humans that can be trained to fight. Hell, I'm sure some will volunteer. And besides, now you have Power Rangers on your side," Chris finished with a smile.

"Yes, and we all heard the faith that Stone put in your powers…seeing as he went off to find some Force he doesn't know exists!" the same female councilor said. Chris was about a half heartbeat away from telling the councilor what she could do with her ideas when Striker intervened.

"Please Councilor Browning, be civil. Power Rangers are far better than what we had before their arrival and I'm sure everyone in this chamber feels that way except you. As for Chris' idea, I say we put it to vote. All in favour?" Striker asked, looking around with a smile as all Councilors raised their hands except for Councilor Browning. "Then it's settled. This council meeting is adjourned so that we plan our return home to Backwater City. It is my recommendation that the Rangers be placed in charge of the military and open recruitment immediately," Striker said with murmured assent from the rest of the council.

"Great now _everyone _is going to want to be a Ranger," Chris said as the council laughed. Chris turned to leave the chamber with all the other slaves. He had not taken six steps before humans from Delta were volunteering for active duty. Chris managed to announce that he was going to open a kiosk for sign-up the next morning and that for the time being everyone should retire to their beds. Chris excused himself and moved through the crowd to the living area. He stumbled in the room he shared with Johnny and closed the door behind him.

"Honey, I'm home," Chris said with a smile. Johnny glanced at him and couldn't help but laugh. "How'd you make out getting the Deltas settled?"

"Not bad, I think I've had 13 offers of marriage within the last hour and some more…unique shall we say…ones," Johnny said with a roll of his eyes. Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Better get it; only ones who know where we reside are the councilors."

Chris shrugged and opened the door to see Zoe standing in the corridor. Before either of them could say a word Chris saw Zoe standing in the Cavern before the statue of the warrior woman wielding two daggers. That could only mean…

"Before you say anything about being followed, hear me out. I know you said you were going to have a kiosk in the morning but I want you to know that I want to fight. I want to be like you two. I want to use whatever powers you two have to help others…it's not about me. It's about protecting the unprotected and watching over the people I care about," Zoe said.

Glancing at Johnny, Chris was the first to speak. "Did you see what I just saw there J-dog?" Chris said, using Johnny's new nickname around Bastion.

"I think I did…I just don't believe that it could be that easy," Johnny said, getting up to his feet.

"What are you two talking about?" Zoe asked, trying to figure out what the two Rangers were getting at.

"Zoe, I think you had better sit down for this one; your wish is about to come true. Now before you throw yourself at us in thanks listen to us first. We are Power Rangers; that isn't something to be taken lightly. You've seen the odds that we face. That Rion character you heard Stone talk about was the Protector, which meant he taught us about our powers when we got them. Now all that's left is us Rangers to pass along the information and teach you what you need to know. Now, if you'll come with us, we'll explain more," Chris said, moving towards Zoe to hold her hand for the teleportation.

"One thing though Zoe; the in-flight meal is less than satisfactory," Johnny said as he prepared to focus on the Cavern.

"I'm ready," Zoe said, taking Chris' hand. Chris looked at Johnny, who gave his approval with a nod.

"We hope so too," Chris said as they all vanished in flashes of light.

Author's Note: Hi all, and thanks for reading. Writing this has allowed me to relive my childhood and write a story I've wanted to write for a long time. So you know, the next few chapters will be part of a series about Stone's journey and the relocation of Bastion. Please feel free to review; I enjoy reading your comments. Look for the next chapter in a few days to a week.


	6. Chapter 5: Journey of Ages Part I: Eltar

**Chapter 5:**

**Journey of Ages Part I: Eltar**

Eltar had seen its share of violence over the span of history, but the civil unrest they now suffered was of their own creation; there was no external threat to blame this time. The planet, lying in the outer rim of the galaxy, had been forced to fight in more interplanetary as well as intergalactic wars than they cared to remember, but the threat that they now faced within their own atmosphere was greater than any invasion or battle they had ever been drawn into. Never before had the capital city of Eltos been in such a state of disarray. The city's crystal spires almost shook with the amount of tension in the air. Parents used their magic abilities to create wards around their homes at night, to fight off any evil that this threat may bring, literally, to their doorstep. The Eltar High Council had set a curfew not only for the capital, but for the entire planet that declared no Eltarian shall be outside past dark, lest the threat escape the confines of the Eltos Institute. The High Council had also sanctioned the military to patrol the streets of Eltos, making sure no doomsayers were to be found on the street. So far, the measures taken had ensured that peace remained. But time was running out.

The threat was not an invasion, or a disease that threatened to kill every life form on Eltar. It was worse than that. It was a human.

Most alien races viewed humans one of two ways: they hated them and wished to see them destroyed with as much violence as possible, or they wanted to avoid all contact whatsoever with any humans. Eltarians were of the latter school of thought; the humans didn't bother them, they didn't bother the humans, and they wanted to keep it that way until the universe collapsed. Moreover, the majority of humans didn't know that intelligence past their own existed, and those that did were often labeled as crazy. Typically, humans only believed in the existence of aliens when they showed up on Earth seeking to destroy every last human or to take over the planet.

It was heatedly argued over what was worse; whether a human had arrived on Eltar, or the manner in which he had arrived. The only way humans could travel though the galaxy was in huge metal spacecraft, that is if they weren't Power Rangers, but that was another sensitive issue to the Eltarians. The human that had arrived on Eltar had not crash landed, or been near anything that resembled a spacecraft. That would have made things easy. The Eltarians would have used their magic to alter the human's mind and would have sent them on their way back to Earth, no questions asked. It wouldn't even have been raised at the Eltos Fountain, the hub of Eltar gossip. But _this_ human had decided to arrive _on top_ of the Eltos Fountain, nearly killing three Eltarians from the shock of his arrival. The Eltarians that had witnessed the event had said that one moment they saw a flash of light and the human was lying atop the fountain, unconscious. A riot had nearly broken out, with the guards surrounding the human and carrying him to the Institute, where he would be monitored until he awoke from his slumber. For days, the Eltar High Council had been debating over what to do with the human. He had been armed with the gold dragon bracer and the Dragonsaber, meaning that he must know of the Force of Ages. What his intentions for the Force were were unknown to Council, as he still slumbered. But there was only one viable explanation.

"This must be Zordon's doing!" Clara cried, trying unsuccessfully to defend the human once again in the council chamber. Raising Zordon's name was probably not the best course of action since he was one of the few Lost. The Lost were Eltarians who left the crystal spires and cities of Eltar to meddle in the affairs of humans that were battling alien threats. Zordon had been the most notable of the Lost, as he had almost single-handedly changed the fate of Earth by enlisting the aid of five teenagers with attitude in Angel Grove. Even when he had briefly left Earth he could not keep out of the lives of humans. He had ventured to K-O 35 and giving Ranger powers to Andros, who became the red space Ranger. It had been ironic that Andros had to destroy Zordon in order to save part of the galaxy from the clutches of evil. No one had cried for Zordon; he had chosen his fate.

"How _dare_ you speak a name of the Lost inside these hallowed walls! You go to far child!" the High Councilor, Lorden, yelled. Lorden had tried to convince Zordon to stay decades ago when he had decided he was going to leave for Earth. Lorden, of course, had failed, and had to watch his brother leave Eltar in exile for all eternity. In fact, Lorden was the first Eltarian to rise to the seat of High Councilor with such close ties to one of the Lost.

"Apologies High One, but I would not have thought that your brother's name would enrage you so," Clara said, bowing to the High Councilor. Lorden knew where Clara was going to take this, and he also knew he didn't want the entire council listening to the proceedings. Looking down the length of the councilor's table, Lorden chose his words carefully. "Excuse us, Councilors. I wish to speak to this young upstart in privacy." Rising from their seats, the six councilors bowed to Lorden and exited the chamber, sending death glares at Clara. Waiting for the door to close completely, Lorden calmed himself. It would not be proper to yell at his daughter even in private. With a resounding _thud_ the doors to the chamber closed. Waving his hand, Lorden locked the doors, not wishing to be disturbed.

"Daughter, you know you cannot speak your uncle's name in front of the entire council. I've had a hard enough time rising to this level sharing blood with him, and I do _not_ need you to remind the councilors of the fact that I am related to one of the Lost!" Lorden said, trying to get his teenage daughter to understand the proper protocol.

"I'm sorry father, but who else could have sent a human here?" Clara said, moving closer to her father, trying to make him see her side of the issue. "Zordon was the first one to introduce Ranger powers to the humans on Earth and when he passed on the mantle to Rion, he must have told him about the Force of Ages and Eltar. It's the only logical explanation."

"I highly doubt that the Protector on Earth, this Rion, even knew of the portal room in the Cavern of Power, let alone about the existence of this planet, dear Clara," Lorden said, trying to convince himself of his own argument. The fact that the human had the Dragonsaber meant that he was a Ranger, meaning that he had been in the Cavern of Power. Was it really so unlikely that he had stumbled upon the portal? "As much as I hate to admit it, even privately, I think that you are indeed right Clara. But you cannot speak of this to anyone. Let us see what the human has to say when he awakes."

As if on cue, the door that Lorden had just magically locked with a wave of his hand was now being knocked upon. Both Clara and Lorden gazed into the viewing crystal that sat in the centre of the council chamber. The viewing crystal could be used to see anywhere in the entire universe; from the farthest reaches of the galaxy to right outside the council door. Lorden focused the crystal's magical gaze outside the council door. One of the guards was beating on the council door with his staff, holding a document crystal in the other hand. Sighing, Lorden waved his hand once again, admitting the guard into the chamber. The crystal showed the surprise on the guards face when the giant doors swung inward, allowing him entrance. The guards knew that if the doors were locked, they were to knock, but to not expect entrance. The council matters were for those of the council and no one else. Marching to the council table swiftly, the guard bowed and handed Lorden the crystal.

"What is the meaning of this interruption guard?" Lorden asked as he accepted the crystal from the guard's trembling hand. Once again waving his hand, this time at the table, the table's surface shimmered and gave way, revealing a slot. Placing the crystal in the slot, Lorden waited for the guard's explanation before accessing the crystal's contents.

"My deepest apologies High Councilor, but I was sent with all haste to you from the Institute. It would seem that the human has awoken and it's creating quite a stir. The rest of the information is within the crystal," the guard said, bowing to Lorden once again and removing himself from the chamber. Clara moved beside her father, so that she would be able to watch the contents of the crystal as her father watched them. Waving his hand over the crystal, the report sprang to life before Lorden's eyes. The face was of Rylek, a doctor that worked at the Eltos Institute and specialized in human affairs.

"Greetings High Councilor, I trust this finds you well. As you the guard has likely already informed you, the human has awoken. What concerned me was that when he awoke he recited the Ancient Cadence as if he had seen it before. Other than that, he seems rather tame, and in control of himself…which is surprising given the circumstances of his arrival, yet he does not remember speaking the Ancients Cadence. Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to discern how he ventured here or what his intentions are. He has requested that he speak to the highest authority possible, which is why I have sent this missive to you, High Councilor. We await your arrival. Dr. Rylek out." The image of the doctor faded back into the crystal, leaving Lorden and Clara in silence to consider what they had just heard. Wordlessly, the two stood up and walked out the chamber door, into the bustling streets of Eltos, wondering what this human had to say.

The Cavern of Power lay empty; it's tranquility soothing to both the Rangers and Zoe. The energy torches cast a pale glow around the Cavern, making the shadowy corners seem far deeper than they actual were. The statues stood embedded into the wall, as they always did, with the heroes casting their watchful gaze over the inhabitants of the Cavern. The thundering crash of the waterfall soothed the weary spirits of the Rangers, yet at the same time charged Zoe with anxiousness. Both Chris and Johnny felt disabled at the loss of Rion…they had been Rangers for mere hours and now they were expected to lead the next Ranger along the path of becoming a Power Ranger. They wouldn't even be able to tell Zoe what her guardian spirit would be until she morphed and they saw it on her power suit. Similarly, they had no idea what her weapons were called either. Essentially, they really knew next to nothing about the remaining Ranger powers, other than how to identify who was destined to use them. Unfortunately, they would have to make do.

Zoe paced the Cavern, examining it's every wall and corner, making sure she knew her surroundings well. She seemed rather excited at the prospect of being a Ranger, and wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life; Johnny could definitely relate. Chris stood in front of the five statues, meeting their sentinel's gaze with his own. He remembered vividly the first time that he and Stone had stumbled across the Cavern while on their way to Delta. Neither of them had asked to be Rangers, but they accepted the powers anyways. It seemed that you didn't choose the power; it chose you. Like Johnny, Chris wished that Stone was here with them. It just didn't seem right for them to be here without him. He was their leader, and had sacrificed his own safety so that they could get the humans back to Bastion. The Rangers felt quite guilty that if they had returned to the battle Rion might still be with them now. They only hoped that he could forgive them.

"I promise I won't hold it against you," a voice from one of the shadowy corners said. Drawing their weapons and placing themselves between the voice and Zoe, as she wasn't a Ranger yet.

"Who said that?" Chris demanded, scanning the piercing darkness for any sign of the intruder. Johnny began to creep closer to the corner from which the voice came, prepared to fight anything that moved within the copse of darkness.

"I did," Rion said, as he materialized in front of them. Chris and Johnny dropped their weapons to the floor with _clanks_ at the absolute shock of seeing Rion before them. But something was different…

"We thought you were dead," Johnny exclaimed, rushing forward to meet Rion in a warm, welcoming embrace. Rion raised his hand, gesturing for the black Ranger to stop.

"I _am_ dead," Rion said, walking towards the five statues. "The only reason I can appear to you is because you are in the Cavern of Power and you have found another Ranger. I have been granted the ability to return when you find the new Rangers so that I may explain their powers to them. Other than that, I must reside within the Beyond." Chris and Johnny both lowered their heads. Seeing Rion in front of them had made them hope that maybe Stone had been mistaken when he had said that Rion had perished. That, sadly, was not the case.

"You must be Rion," Zoe said, finally gathering enough courage to speak to the ghostly figure. Rion turned to face Zoe, and smiled.

"Yes dear girl I am Rion. I'm the Protector of the Ranger powers. Now, not be rude, but my time here is rather…limited. You, my dear Zoe, have been chosen to be a Power Ranger. As your Ranger friends have no doubt told you, this is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. You will command a power that is far greater than you have ever encountered before or could likely ever imagine, but you must use this power to fight a battle that few think you can win. However, should you accept your destiny, decided at birth, you will be the yellow Ranger, commanding the Griffon and wielding dual Wingdaggers. You must accept these powers Zoe, no one, not even I, can force you to take them." Before Zoe could step forward to accept her powers, Chris piped in.

"Wait a minute…she got a tidbit of information we never got. You said our destiny to become Ranger was decided at birth. What the hell does that mean, other than we were chosen from the moment we came out?" Chris said, wondering just what exactly Rion had meant. Sighing, Rion began to explain.

"First I would like to say that I never told you any of this because time was rather constricted when you two got your Ranger powers. Be that as it may, I shall explain everything to you now," Rion said as he turned to face the five statues. "The Ancients have been watching Earth for far longer than any of us, that is those in the Beyond, can discern. The Ancients were the species that introduced dinosaurs to the Earth, allowing the reptilian species to assume dominant control over the Earth. Now you may wonder how or why the Ancients allowed one species to become so dominant over another," Rion said, watching as the three humans heads all nodded simultaneously. "The Ancients have the gift of foresight. They can see what will happen long before it comes to pass. Thus, the Ancients knew that the dinosaurs would be destroyed by a meteorite; see where this is going? The Ancients created the Force of Ages, a power that could trump any force but their own. When one of the Ancients gave up their powers, their spirit was added to the Force, making it grow stronger as time progressed. The Ancients, however, did not trust themselves enough to be in charge of such a power. What if one of the Ancients destroyed all other Ancients, building the Force to unimaginable power, and harnessed the power for himself? The galaxy would be destroyed in the blink of an eye. That is why the Force of Ages was trusted to the planet Eltar. Eltar is home of Eltos, the crystal city. Zordon, the Protector of my time, granted me and my friends the Ranger powers to drive back the Baliens the first time. I also know that he gave five teenagers with attitude in Angel Grove Ranger powers that harnessed the power of the dinosaurs. By doing so, Zordon set a sequence of event in motion that the Ancients had very little control over. That is why the Ancients began to select children at birth that would have the ability to harness Ranger powers. You see, the Ancients knew that the Baliens would invade once again and that you three would be among those of the right age to drive back the Baliens. How you met, however, was purely coincidence. Had things not worked out so well and I had been among the living it would have been my charge to seek out the Rangers. As you know Chris, you and Stone stumbling upon this Cavern was destiny. I guided you here without you really knowing what was happening…now you know the truth." Turning to face the Rangers, Rion tried to hide his smile. The three humans stood with their mouths gaping open as if they had just won a million dollars.

"But if we were selected from birth doesn't that mean that we _have_ to accept our powers?" Zoe questioned, not understanding how she had any choice in the matter.

"That's what I said!" Johnny cried. Chris smiled at the exuberance of youth. Rion, however, explained once again.

"That's where it gets rather complicated and even I don't fully understand. Being selected at birth means you have the _ability_ to harness the powers. The decision of whether or not you do harness them is yours. That's the difference. Ability is one thing, acceptance is another," Rion said, moving to stand on the circular crest that he had used to access the golden Force powers such a little while ago.

"I'm not afraid," Zoe said, stepping forth. The resolve in her eyes was stronger than diamond. She would stand her ground alongside the other Rangers and fight for the freedom of the planet. The Wingdaggers and the power bracelet, containing a yellow zircon, began to glow and float slowly towards her. Reaching up as Chris, Johnny, and Rion looked on, she grasped the weapons as the bracelet slid onto her wrist. Chris and Johnny began to applaud as Rion explained the morphing process; but Zoe's mind was somewhere else.

_I hope you're proud of me Stone_, Zoe thought, s_tay safe until I see you again_. With a smile, the three Rangers teleported back to Bastion, as the Cavern of Power was left in fading illumination as Rion's spirit dissipated into the darkness, awaiting the arrival of the next Ranger.

General Auron was livid…enraged was far too weak a word…to the point that even the tranquility that his Omega chambers provided was not enough to soothe him. His slave supply for the Omega Project had now been disrupted and he would have to begin procedures to send the Omega scientists humans from some of the other slave camps. It wasn't a necessarily difficult procedure, but one that should not have had to be taken. Curse those Rangers! They, however, would no longer be a problem as the only Ranger that could have stopped the Gigans had been destroyed. Although the red Ranger had escaped with the saber that killed the Minotaur Gigan, he doubted one Ranger could kill all the Gigans he had stationed on Earth. As he wrote out the details that Graymane would need to follow to begin the slave transfer from Alpha, there was a timid knock at his chamber door. Without looking away from the report, Auron pressed the button that would allow whoever was at the door admittance. Lieutenant Pine strode in accompanied by his two idiotic sergeants, Briggs and Rathburn. Auron had tasked the three with creating a detailed schematic of the human stronghold…Bastion they called it…and what the best likely assault plan would be. He had also ordered them to locate it on his map in the war room, so that they begin to plan their assault as soon as possible.

"Yes human?" Auron said, still not looking up from his procedural draft. Pine cleared his throat whilst Briggs and Rathburn tried not to wet themselves.

"Here are the schematics you asked for General. I have included how many humans reside on each level, so that you may know if any have escaped as well as you will know how many humans will be in your service after your grand assault," Pine said as he placed the documents on Auron's desk, bowing. Trying to keep his temper under control, Auron raised a single eye from the procedure he was drafting.

"And tell me, human, what good are your numbers now that the slaves from Delta now reside there hmm?" Auron said with a hint of anger in his voice. All three human's faces blanched. They were quick to bow in apology.

"My apologies General, I did not consider that," Pine said while still bowing. Auron sniffed in disgust.

"It's obvious you did not consider many things human…now leave my sight before I decide that you have lived out your usefulness to me," Auron said with a snarl as he waved his hand towards them in dismissal. How he hated ignorance. Glancing at the schematic and the figures Pine had created, Auron smiled. The assault on the grand human stronghold would not even require half of his assault force. He would be sure to send a few Gigans to keep the Rangers busy. Finishing the details of the slave transfer procedure for Graymane, he moved to his comm unit to send a call to Graymane to come pick them up. As he dialed in Graymane's domicile number, there was another knock at his chamber door. Nudging the open button with a giant paw, Graymane rushed into the room, out of breath. Unconcerned with Graymane's health, Auron went right to business.

"Ah Graymane. I was just about to summon you to pick up the slave transfer procedure for the slaves at Camp Alpha. Your timing is rather impeccable," Auron said, handing the wolf Balien his orders. Graymane reached out and took them from the General's hand. Saluting, the Balien began to speak.

"Yes sir, thank you sir. But I came to inform you of a rather interesting development. After the battle we detected a human energy signal being teleported out of Earth's atmosphere. We tracked the signature to its destination. The human, we believe it to be the red Ranger at this point sir, landed on Eltar," Graymane said, still out of breath from his run to Auron's chamber. Auron's eyes widened at the name of the Balien home planet's nemesis. Eltar had long been a thorn in the side of Bali, as the Eltarians believed the Baliens to be pure evil, and always arrived to stop the Baliens on their conquests. How the human knew of the history between Eltar and Bali was beyond the General.

"Eltar! What in the name of Bali does the human want on Eltar? Does he expect the Eltarians to come aid the humans?" Auron laughed at the thought of the Eltarians getting involved with human affairs. Eltarians viewed humans with a considerable amount of skepticism and disdain.

"I am unsure, sir, but if the human is granted the powers that the Eltarians use to battle us, this war may be far from over," Graymane said, hoping his comments had not angered his General too much. Auron considered what Graymane had said…it was quite the tangible threat.

"Very true, Graymane…very true indeed. Gather a legion," Auron said as he watched Graymane's eyes widen…a legion would ensure the destruction of Eltar. "We leave immediately for Eltar…they will not escape this time."

Stone awoke in a room surrounded by crystalline walls, with a figure standing over him speaking into a crystal that was floating before him. Presumably, the person was some sort of doctor that was in charge of him. Stone had asked to speak to someone in authority, but he was unsure if the figure would have sent for whoever was in charge or not. He didn't even know where he was after all. Trying to shake the lingering daze from his head, he propped himself up in the bed and cleared his throat. Before he had the chance to speak the wall in front of him, which had appeared to be solid, shimmered and two figures walked through; a man, wearing a robe that likely represented his position, and a girl. Suddenly, Stone's mind was sent asunder. He was brought back to the Cavern with the girl standing before the statues, reaching out to grasp the bow from the last statue. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Stone began to speak.

"Where am I?" Stone asked, not directing the question to anyone person in particular. It was the man in the stately robe that answered.

"You are on Eltar human. Unfortunately _your_ questions will have to wait. I am High Councilor Lorden, leader of the Eltar High Council. This is my daughter Clara, and Dr. Rylek, who will be supervising your stay here at the Institute. Now, you spoke the Ancient Cadence…how does a human know the Cadence?" Lorden asked, edging closer to Stone.

"Cadence? What the hell are you talking about?" Stone said, wondering if he had landed on a planet comprised entirely of psychopaths. Almost immediately the three Eltarians spoke in unison.

"Those who stand true, are not many but few - To harness the power against darkness you must not cower - To hold the Force of Ages you must be ready to travel the galaxy's pages - Across the galaxy the powers lie guarded by the Eltar High - Stand forth young mortal, your destiny lies beyond this portal," they said, the words magically glowing before them. Stone suddenly understood.

"Oh. That. That poem…or Cadence as you call it…appeared before me in a chamber within the Cavern of Power," the Eltarians gasped at the mention of the Cavern. This meant that there worst fears had come to pass. A human Ranger had found its way to Eltar. "I was told by Rion, the Protector, to seek out the chamber using these," Stone said as he showed them the dragon bracer and the Dragonsaber. It was Clara who spoke next.

"So then you _are_ a Ranger!" The words hung in the room like a bad stench. The Eltarians waited for his answer. Knowing that his life might likely depend on his answers, Stone chose carefully.

"Well, I _was_ the red Ranger…but now I assume I'm supposed to use these somehow to fight the Gigans the Baliens have stationed on Earth." Before Stone could explain any further, the room was a tumult of comments and discussion. Clearing his throat, Stone spoke again. "Before you execute me or whatever, I want you to know that I have _no_ idea how to become the gold Ranger as Rion did," Stone said, although it was likely none of the Eltarians had heard a word he had said. It seemed as though the mention that he had been the red Ranger had caused quite a disturbance. He figured he should ask what the hell was wrong before they decided to do something rash; like relieve him of his life. "Did I say something wrong?"

Lorden turned to face Stone, his face an expressionless mask devoid of any emotion whatsoever. The doctor, Rylek, had moved to a nearby table to file another oral report into a crystal; Stone could overhear the words Baliens, Earth, and human…everything else was too muffled for him to pick up on. Mumbling some incoherent words and waving their hands, Clara and Lorden summoned chairs out of thin air. Stone's jaw dropped, but he knew enough not to ask any questions at this point. Lorden inhaled deeply and began to speak as if the words pained him to say.

"No, young human, you did not. If you had been aware of our customs and culture then you would understand why we were so shocked at what you said. Before we explain though, there are some things you need to understand. Eltar is a peaceful planet that thrives on our affinity for magic as well as our abilities to use it. That is how we summoned these chairs before your eyes. We pride ourselves on our passive isolation. We do not meddle in the affairs of other planets and their species, unless provoked, and we have come to expect the same. There have been only three documented cases of Eltarians leaving Eltar to intervene in the affairs of another species. The most significant of these was when my brother Zordon left Eltar to go to Earth to recruit five teenagers with attitude. The rest, as you say, is history. We refer to Zordon and the others as the Lost…by leaving Eltar to intervene they go into exile. So, as you can see, we do everything within our considerable power to maintain our splendid isolation," Lorden said, leaning back into his lavish chair. Rylek finished his report into the crystal and handed it to Lorden. Nodding, Lorden watched as Rylek exited the room through the shimmering wall. Rubbing his eyes, Lorden stood up and faced one of the crystals walls that peered out into the city streets. "There is only one species in our lengthy history that has attacked us without provocation."

"Let me take a wild guess…the Baliens," Stone said as he sat up in his bed and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Clara smiled, and Stone knew he had hit the nail on the head. Lorden shuddered at the mentioning of the alien species.

"Yes it was the Baliens, human. They nearly destroyed all of us despite our magical abilities. Only by drawing upon the Force of Ages were we able to drive the Baliens back to their home planet. That being said, why have _you_ come to Eltar human?" Lorden asked as he turned to face Stone once again. Before Stone could answer, however, Clara piped up.

"Surely you being here has to have something to do with my uncle Zordon," Clara said as she leaned closer to Stone. Stretching his aching muscles, Stone answered despite still being confused as to why they thought he knew Zordon.

"I'm here because my species doesn't stand a chance unless I can find this Force of Ages Rion told me about. Only by using this saber was I able to destroy the one that killed him. The only catch is I don't know how to morph using these powers," Stone said, moving to get up out of his board-like bed.

"So you're here by chance?" Clara asked as she slid her chair back to allow Stone to move. Stone sighed, wishing that he had nothing to do with fighting the Baliens. He wished that none of this ever happened. He wanted things how they were a year ago…everything was normal.

"No, I'm not here by chance…although I wish I was. I'm here because Rion told me I needed to seek out the Force of Ages if the humans were to win the war against the Baliens. He told me to summon forth the dragon in the Cavern of Power and when I did as he said a passage was revealed to me that had the Cadence in it. When I read it was teleported here, at least that's what I figure. So until I find this Force of Ages, that is if it still exists, I'm not going home. We don't stand a chance without it," Stone said, moving to where he could look out the same window that Lorden was. The city of Eltos was seemingly made entirely of crystal. The buildings glimmered in the sunlight, with the water from the fountain sparkling in the rays of warmth. Under other circumstances he would have killed to stay here. Turning away from the window, Lorden faced the human.

"So you think you can harness the Force of Ages after you find it? What makes you think we'll tell you where it is? As I've said we enjoy our isolation, and by helping you we would be meddling in a battle that we did not start. I'm afraid I will have to remove you of those," Lorden said as with a deft hand gesture the Dragonsaber and dragon bracer flew away from Stone into Lorden's hands. "I must insist that you come with me to appear before the High Council. There we will decide what to do with you."

Both Stone and Clara did everything in their powers to control their emotions. Clara was enraged that her father would not help someone that was in dire need. She knew firsthand that Gigans were not easy to defeat. Stone on the other hand was simply enraged.

"Do I even have a bloody choice?" Stone said as he walked towards the shimmering wall.

"Not really," Lorden said as he followed Stone through the wall. How he hated dealing with humans.

Stone had been in front of the Eltar High Council for what seemed like days, but in reality had only been a mere two hours. They were relentless in their questions about Stone's past as a Ranger and why he had come to Eltar. Stone had answered the same questions over and over again until he thought he was blue in the face. He figured that the Council was waiting for his answer to change slightly so they could interrogate him on why his response had been altered. Finally, much to Clara's delight and the Council's surprise, Stone snapped.

"Look you high and mighty councilors – I've answered your questions more times than I care to count. I'm here because without the Force of Ages my species is all but extinct. And while you seven sit there and imitate Switzerland, my friends are dying! So here's the deal…" Stone, however, could not inform the High Council of what was going to happen. He was interrupted by a breathless guard's intrusion into the chamber. Immediately Lorden was on his feet.

"What is the meaning of this interruption!" Lorden roared. The guard, however, had run out of time. Falling to the ground from what the Council thought was exhaustion, they saw the wounds on his back. Stone rushed to the guard's side and put his ear to the guard's mouth. Hearing the guard's message, Stone's face blanched. Gently lowering the guard down to the marble floor, Stone stood before the Council and spoke, his voice ringing out through the chamber.

"Baliens have entered the city."


	7. Chapter 6: Journey of Ages Part II

**Chapter 6:**

**Journey of Ages Part II: Turning Point**

"Baliens have entered the city."

Five simple words had transformed the council chamber from a room of calm and tranquility of questioning into a chamber of disarray and panic. With a wave of her hand, Clara had focused the viewing crystal's gaze on the city streets. The Balien squadrons were charging through the city streets, destroying anything between them and the Council Building. Lorden was the only voice of control in the chamber. Rising from his seat, he raised his hands above his head.

"Silence! Arguing and panic will get us all killed. Councilors you know your positions; I suggest you get to them and bar yourselves in. May the power protect you. As for you, human, you will remain here locked in this chamber with Clara," Lorden said as he vaulted over the council table and walked calmly towards the door. Before Clara could protest, Stone ran in front of Lorden, blocking his path.

"Barring me in here is a waste of a valuable fighter and you bloody know it. You've seen what walks the streets of your crystal city and you know that you're going to need all the help you can get. Give me the golden Force powers and I'll send these Baliens packing," Stone said, offering his hand to the High Councilor. Lorden glanced down at the human's hand and raised his head in disgust.

"We never have, nor never will, ask for the aid of a _human_ in the defense of this planet," Lorden growled as he stormed out the council chamber.

"Not even a human who lead Rangers back on Earth huh? Your brother would have let me fight," Stone said, trying to convince the High Councilor that he could help.

"Human, you are in charge of two things right now. Jack and shit. And to your misfortune, Jack caught the last vessel off the planet. You will do as you're told or you will suffer my wrath. And don't ever mention my brother in my presence. I have wasted enough time here. My people are dying," Lorden raised his hand, palm outward toward the door and the council chamber doors flew open. Waving his hand as he left the hall, the doors slammed closed and locked behind the High Councilor.

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Stone said as he turned to face the viewing crystal. All he and Clara could do was watch Eltos, the crystal city, be destroyed along with its inhabitants.

PAGE BREAK (ugly I know, but hey, it works.)

Baliens loved battle; their society was based on the ideal that the strong should rule over the weak. Their invasion of Eltar had gone exceedingly well. They had landed on the outskirts of the city and had proceeded to destroy everything in sight. But their fun was beginning to slow to a halt. The Eltarians had finally begun to mount an organized resistance. Auron knew, however, that it would be too little far too late. To Auron's left, a contingent of Eltarian guards charged him. Waving off the Balien soldiers that were fighting along with him, the giant lion awaited the Eltarians. With a deafening roar, Auron charged into battle. His right claw impaled two Eltarians at once; the blood from their corpses dripping down the length of his massive forearms. Swinging his left claw, the general removed three Eltarians of their heads. The remaining Eltarian soldiers finally realized that they could not win against this massive beast and retreated to the Council Building. With a victory snarl, Auron called to his Balien squadrons. "Destroy everything! Leave _none_ alive!"

PAGE BREAK

Much like Eltos, Bastion was a flurry of activity. The humans that had sought refuge within the halls of Bastion were gathering what little they had in terms of personal items and were gathering in the massive gathering area and were being sorted into age and family categories. After hours of deliberation, the Bastion Council had decided it would relocate to the Backwater University. It had more than enough room to house all the humans as well as enough supplies to clothe and feed them. In addition to the supplies already present at the university, the humans were packing the crates of food that had mysteriously appeared within Bastion. Despite the excitement and fear running through the air, the Rangers had gotten a few solid hours of rest before the humans made their exodus from the cavern they had called home. The vehicles that Striker had managed to repair were going to 'frame' the column of humans, protecting it from any Baliens that should decide to attack. Then again, the Rangers were there to take care of any major threats, so the vehicles were just for an added sense of security. Rousing themselves from the land of dreams, the Rangers prepared in their room.

"Now Zoe, I'm not saying you're not worthy of your powers or whatever, but there's no training course for these things, so take it easy your first time. We just got you into the fold…don't want to lose you too fast. Far too much paperwork," Chris said with a laugh. Zoe forced a giggle; truth be told she was far more nervous than she let on. She ran her fingers over the bracelet on her wrist. She hoped that she proved worthy of the powers; a few weeks a she had just been a girl from Backwater that used to work in a grocery store on weekends.

"Oh, and don't count on Chris to be the hero…he hates that. Gives him too much credit," Johnny said glancing at Chris who smiled and gave Johnny the finger. Zoe burst into laughter, wiping at the tears that were flowing from her eyes.

"Thanks guys. Shouldn't we morph now so everyone doesn't know who we are?" Zoe said, standing up from her bed. She wanted to use her new powers to protect people as soon as possible; it's just the way she was.

"Yeah that's a good idea…no point in anyone else knowing our true identities. Although I think in all the excitement everyone is likely to have forgotten who we are anyways," Johnny said, rolling out of bed. Nodding her agreement, Zoe moved to stand beside Johnny. Chris, however, had to protest.

"Wait just a stinking minute here! Stone left _me_ in charge, and as leader, I say your ideas are the best course of action," Chris said in the most official manner he could. Zoe and Johnny did their best to hold back their laughter but ultimately failed, bursting into chuckles. Standing beside Johnny and Zoe, Chris brought his arm in front of his body. "Let's do this. Ready?" Glancing at the other two as they nodded, the three humans extended their arm and stretched out their hands.

"For freedom!" In a flash of light, the humans were replaced by the Rangers, ready to lead the humans to their new home. Walking down the passage that lead to the gathering area, the Rangers were greeted with applause and cheers; the humans were more than happy to have Rangers on their side once again. The Rangers walked into the organized chaos that was the gathering area and worked their way to where the Council had gathered and had begun to address the mass of humans.

"People of Bastion hear me! We leave our stronghold of refuge in the darkness to go to a place far better. Today, we take the first step in reclaiming our city from the evil Balien forces that invaded our homes." Faymore said, to thunderous cheers from the human populace. Smiling, Faymore stepped back and allowed Striker to speak. Raising his hands in a gesture that called for silence, Striker's booming voice resonated in the chamber.

"My friends the road to Backwater will not be easy. The Baliens will not likely let us retake our homes without a fight. You have been told what to do and how to act. I leave it to you all to follow the proper protocol. The Bastion Guard will surround the column and protect you from anything the Baliens will throw at us," Striker said, gesturing towards the guards that were stationed near the door as well as the guards that had gathered outside Bastion. "The Rangers…" Striker was forced to stop due to the tumultuous cheering and whistling that followed the mention of the Rangers. Calling the Rangers forth with a hand movement, the Rangers walked onto the dais from which the Council was addressing the gathering. Chris was the one who spoke.

"The Rangers will teach those ugly Balien fart-sniffers what happens when they mess with the human race!" The cheers that followed were deafening. Motioning for the humans to leave the chamber and Bastion once and for all, the human column of evacuees began to move forward to Backwater City and the university that they would call home. Making sure that the process was running smoothly, Chris addressed the other Rangers.

"Ok here's the plan. Zoe and I will watch from the sky and deal with any Skyclaws that should decide to grace us with their presence. Johnny, you ride along side the column and make sure nothing happens on the ground," Chris said, raising his hand to the sky. Johnny and Zoe, however, had no idea how Chris proposed they do so.

"Uh Chris? How do you expect you and me to patrol from the sky? We can't fly," Zoe said, hoping that Chris had some grandiose plan that would actually work.

"Yeah and how am I supposed to follow the column? I can't run that fast," Johnny said, pointing at the column that was now progressing with considerable haste. Chris immediately saw the error of his instructions. Neither Zoe nor Johnny had ever called upon their guardian beasts before.

"You're absolutely right guys. You can't fly, nor run that fast. _But_ you're guardian beasts can. Raise your hand to the sky and call them…but don't blink or you'll miss their arrival. Shrugging and figuring they had nothing to lose, the yellow and black Ranger raised their hands to the sky.

"Griffon!" Zoe cried as her guardian animal appeared out of the sky and landed, rather gracefully, beside her.

"Cerberus!" Johnny called as the ground next to him shattered upward and the three-headed dog sprang forward. Johnny half expected the beast to lick his face. Chris jumped into the air and called his animal.

"Pegasus!" Swooping under Chris, the Pegasus caught the blue Ranger just as his ascent was turning into a fall. "See how cool this is?" Laughing as their guardians took them away, the Rangers set forth to their duty. The landscape, however, was not a good one to look at. From their vantage point in the sky, Chris and Zoe could see an entire company of Baliens marching for Bastion. Their path would intercept that of the humans. "Shit," Chris muttered as he focused his mind to send a telepathic call to Johnny. Much to his dismay, Chris was unable to get a hold of Johnny telepathically; their abilities must have died with Rion. Glancing at the horizon, Chris saw more bad news. Dozens of Skyclaws were inbound towards the Ranger's position. Without hesitating, Chris gave Zoe her instructions.

"Zoe, get your Griffon to take you down to Johnny. Tell him he's got major company in a few minutes. He'll know what to do. Then, get your yellow butt back up here. I can't handle all these Skyclaws alone," Chris said as he reared the Pegasus in mid-flight. Before Zoe could even question Chris' orders, he had charged off towards the Skyclaws screaming "Freedom!" Knowing that there wasn't much time, Zoe went into action.

"Down Griffon!" Zoe said as the guardian swooped down towards Johnny. Floating alongside Johnny, she wasted no time in relaying the message. Muttering a curse, Johnny rode off to inform the Councilors of the impending attack. In a flash, Johnny had his Lunax in his hands ready to fight. _Let them come_, Johnny thought, gripping the Lunax tighter.

With a few beats of it's massive wings, the Griffon had ascended to height of the aerial battle. Zoe watched as Chris flew through the ranks of Skyclaws, using his staff to bash and strike any Balien foolish enough to get close to him. As she hovered above the battle, Chris called to her.

"As much fun as it is being the hero, I could use a little help here! Call your weapons and get in on this," Chris said as he impaled another Balien on his Skystaff. Zoe nodded and raised her hands from the Griffon's back.

"Wingdaggers!" She cried, watching the weapons materialize into her hands. With a grin she kicked the flanks of the Griffon. "Charge!" Zoe and the Griffon swept into the foray, the Griffon using it's massive claws to rend Balien flesh as Zoe stabbed and slashed anything that wasn't Chris and his Pegasus. The airborne Rangers, however, soon realized that it would take more than them attacking with their weapons and their guardians clawing and smashing to stop the relentless wave of Skyclaws. Flying up above the regrouping Skyclaws the Rangers began to panic.

"There's too many of them," Zoe said, as she nursed her aching arms. "Don't these guardians do anything other than fly us around?" With that, the guardians looked at each other and charged back into the battle. Chris began to have a panic attack, ordering the Pegasus to ascend above the Skyclaws. His fears, however, were soon soothed by what he saw. The Pegasus reared itself up as it beat it's wings, creating winds with the strength of a hurricane behind them. Behind the blue helmet, Chris' jaw dropped at the shock of what he had just seen.

"Guess we'll call that the Wing Wind eh?" Chris said with a chuckle as the Skyclaws began to retreat. To Zoe, however, retreat was not enough. A retreated enemy could be the one who ultimately destroyed you. Before she could order her guardian to give chase, the Griffon began to glow with an eerie aura. Zoe had little time to gasp, as the Griffon darted forward, destroyed each of the retreating Baliens then darting to the next, seemingly dancing among the enemies. In a matter of seconds, the Griffon had destroyed the remaining Baliens with one attack. Dubbing the attack "Griffon's Dance", Zoe flew up beside Chris.

"Guess these guardians have a few tricks up there sleeves huh," Zoe said as they began to fly back towards the column of humans that were no doubt under attack by the Balien ground forces.

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Chris said, gazing at Zoe through the visor of his helmet and laughing. Despite his sarcasm, Zoe couldn't help but laugh. Glancing at the ground below, Zoe nudged Chris' side and pointed. It looked as if Johnny and his Cerberus had their hands full in fending off the company of Balien ground troops. Both Johnny and the Cerberus were surrounded by Baliens and were being pushed to their limits to fend them off. Johnny spared a split second to look up at his two friends. _Finally some help_, Johnny thought as he blocked a strike from a scorpion-like Balien. There were Balien corpses surrounding him and his guardian, as they had almost single-handedly fended off the Balien company that had been intent on attacking the column of Bastion evacuees. Cerberus' three heads were making short work of any Baliens that got close enough for it's jaws to clamp around their bodies. The constant battle was beginning to take its toll on the black Ranger though. Exhaustion began to seep into his aching muscles as he swung his Lunax to remove the head of an axe wielding Balien.

"Tell the Councilors to get the humans out of here. The soldiers will cover their retreat to Backwater University. We'll handle things here. I'll go help Johnny," Zoe said as the Griffon shook it's feathered mane and shrieked into the air. Nodding, Chris set off to find one of the Councilors at the head of the column.

Zoe and her Griffon plunged into the Balien company, delivering some much needed aid to the weary black Ranger. Soaring off the back of the Griffon, Zoe swung into battle. Bringing her Wingdaggers up in a high guard, she easily deflected the overhead strike of cobra-headed Balien. Rolling her wrists, the Balien was suddenly off balance. Not wasting any time, she slashed the belly of the Balien while using her other dagger to stab the Balien in the neck. Hissing, the Balien fell to the ground. Suddenly, Zoe saw a flash of silver and black fly by her head. Crouching and turning in one movement, she saw Johnny's Lunax embedded in the face of a Balien that would have dealt her a fatal blow. Shuddering with the knowledge of how close she had been to death, Zoe yanked the axe out of the Balien's shattered skull and threw it back to Johnny.

"Thank me later. We've got bigger problems than gratitude right now," Johnny said as he pointed past the Balien company. Rolling down the valley towards the human column was a group of half a dozen Balien tanks that would make short work of the human column in a few volleys of artillery fire. Without pause, Zoe made her decision.

"Griffon, destroy those tanks! Griffon Dance!" She called, as her guardian cried it's assent. In a flash of light bounding between tanks, intermixed with explosions, the tanks were destroyed. The Baliens, however, weren't; and they were edging ever closer to the column of humans.

Astride his Pegasus, Chris was struggling to find a Councilor in the sea of humans that were moving towards Backwater City. Finally, Striker called out to Chris, catching his attention. Opening his mouth to speak, Striker was immediately cut off by the blue Ranger.

"Striker, get these guys out of here. We're running out of time. Load as many of them as you can on the military vehicles and sprint this last stretch. You can see the university from here. When the civilians are safe, send back any assault vehicles you can spare. Until then, we'll have to hold them," Chris said as he nudged his guardian to take him back to the battle. As he flew away, Chris could hear Striker barking orders as the humans quickened their pace from a fast march to an all out run. Leaping off the Pegasus, sending it off deeper in the Balien ranks, Chris went to work with his Skystaff. Spinning the staff in front of him, the first Balien that attacked him was disarmed before the blue Ranger cracked his skill with an overhead strike. Wading through the bodies of Baliens that he destroyed, Chris moved towards the other Rangers, as they fended off the last of the Balien ground forces that were near them. Positioning themselves back to back, the Rangers flourished their weapons, motioning for the last of the Baliens to approach.

_Rat-tat-tat-tat_! _Swoosh-BOOM!_ The Bastion Guard had arrived to take their vengeance on the alien bastards that had taken their homes from them. Striker was leading the charge on the back of a motorcycle, firing grenades from a mounted grenade launcher that had been welded on the handlebars. There was a serene beauty to seeing the Bastion Guard charging into the valley firing back at the Baliens; these were the people that had run from these same invaders and sought refuge in a cavern. Now, a turning point had been reached; they oppressed were now the liberators.

With a renewed vigor, the Rangers charged into the ranks of the Baliens that had surrounded them. Zoe threw one of her Wingdaggers into the shoulder of an approaching Balien while she used the shock of the injury to bridge the distance between her and the invader to slit it's furry throat. Using his Skystaff as a vault pole, Chris locked the head of a crocodile Balien and twisted his feet, snapping it's neck in one deft motion. Charging the Balien closest to him, Johnny slid through the Balien's legs at the last moment. Rolling to his feet, Johnny used the butt-end of his Lunax to knock the soldier to his knees. Bringing the Lunax down in a downward slash, Johnny removed the Balien's head in a singular stroke. Slowly at first, then with extreme haste, the Baliens fell back over the valley's northern hill, retreating to Omega. Some of the Bastion Guard gave chase, destroying any Balien that fell within the range of their weapons. Calling their guardian beasts back and mounting them, the Rangers rode along beside Striker. Removing his dusty sunglasses, a smile broke Striker's normally passive features.

"Well, that went well," Striker said as he turned to ride back to the outskirts of Backwater University. Nodding their agreement, the Rangers accompanied the Guard back to the University, with thunderous applause meeting them at their arrival. The humans had gathered in one of the massive lecture halls, with the Council seated at the front as if they were professors. Sifting their way through the crowd, the Rangers and the Bastion Guard moved to the dais on which the Council was sitting. Faymore arose from his seat, raising his hands to call for silence within the hall.

"People of Backwater," Faymore said, addressing the exiles of Bastion. It was strange to be named in reference to Backwater again and not Bastion. "I give you the Power Rangers!" Cheers and screams erupted from the human crowd, accompanied by whistling and applause. As the thunder of the voices faded, Johnny stepped forward.

"We couldn't have done it without your brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, and friends; the Bastion Guard," he said, pointing the soldiers stationed at the back of the hall. Many of the Guard's faces reddened at the sudden attention. The moment of glory, however, was not meant to last.

"You all act as if we've won," Councilor Browning, the woman who had opposed the move to Backwater in the first place, said, standing to address the crowd. Glancing at Chris, Zoe saw him clench his fist as he began to step forward. Holding out her arm to restrain him, Chris halted his advance. "You really think they won't find us here?"

"You know you have a really strange way of showing gratitude," Zoe said, releasing her hold on Chris. "If we hadn't come here you'd be dead right now, just like all of us."

Glaring at Zoe and the Rangers, Browning spoke again. "Please dear girl don't act like you're better than me, because you're not." It took all of Zoe's self-control to not slap the Councilor in the face. Even Faymore was beginning to lose his temperament. "The Baliens will be back."

"You're right you old bat, they will," Chris said, stepping forward to glare at the councilor. Turning to the face the crowd, he added, "And we'll be waiting!" The applause, cheers, and celebration that followed lasted long into the night.

PAGE BREAK

The Battle of Eltos was not going well; by mid-afternoon the Eltarian Regulars held less than a third of the city under their control and had mounted a defensive stand near the Eltos Fountain. Lorden stood at the front lines, adding his considerable magical talents to the defensive effort that the Eltarians were mounting so valiantly. Fireballs and bolts of lightning soared into the Balien ranks, decimating their numbers, yet they still _kept coming_.

_Bastards must have brought a legion_, Lorden thought sullenly as he cast down a fire storm onto the Baliens from above. It was likely that the Eltarians could have charged the Balien offensive and fought in close quarters, resulting to hand to hand combat, but Lorden felt they would hold far longer using ranged offensive magic. Finally, just when it looked as though the tide of the battle was turning in favour of the Eltarians and the Baliens were retreating, Auron's personal command vehicle rolled onto the outskirts of Eltos Square, where the fountain was situated. Stepping out of the vehicle, Auron gazed at the corpses that littered the ground as if they were dolls that had been thrown away by young girls.

"I should have known it was you behind this Auron," Lorden called, facing the massive lion general. Turning to face Lorden, Auron smiled; his glistening fangs still wet with blood.

"Lorden…what a pleasant surprise. I'm surprised they let you stay on Eltar after that episode with your brother," Auron snarled as he approached the Eltarian barricade.

"One more step and you'll be nothing more than an over-toasted husk," Lorden said as fire began to swirl around his raised hand. "Call back your armies Auron, or with my dying breath I'll bring this city down around your ears, killing everyone, including you, with it." Auron chuckled deeply, his voice echoing off the nearby buildings.

"You assume you'll be alive long enough to do that do you? Well then, let me introduce you to these. Gigans attack!" Auron growled as he pointed one of his massive paws towards the handful of Eltarians still drawing breath. For better or for worse, it would be over within the hour.

PAGE BREAK

"Oh no," Clara cried as she gazed at the viewing crystal; Gigans were nearly impossible to kill using magic or the weapons that Eltarians were using. She was going to have to watch as the remaining fighters of Eltos, including her father, were destroyed by alien monsters. Sighing and turning from the viewing crystal, Stone tried to fight his anger.

"No one deserves to die like that," Stone growled, as he looked at the dragon bracer and Dragonsaber sitting on the council table. He could always… "Clara can you unlock this door?"

Keeping her gaze locked on the viewing crystal, Clara answered in a voice that shook with emotion. "Yes, but my father would kill me. Why?"

Stone walked to the table and placed the dragon bracer on his arm and sheathed the Dragonsaber over his shoulder. Realizing what Stone had planned, Clara whirled away from the viewing crystal. "No, human, you can't! You don't even know how to use them," Clara said as she moved to take the weapon and bracer away from Stone. _But I know how,_ she thought. Stone stopped her with a hand gesture.

"Clara, you know that if I don't go out and fight those Gigans, those Eltarians, including your father, will die. Now either you can unlock this door, let me fight and deal with your father, or you can sit in this room and wait for the Baliens to come kill you. Either way, I'm expendable. And my name isn't _human_ it's Stone. Derek Stone," he said, feeling like James Bond saying his name in that fashion. The turmoil that was running through Clara was crystal clear in her eyes. Turning to face the door, she waved her hand. The chamber door unlocked with a _thunk_.

"Dragon force," She said, as she walked towards the door. Stone was taken aback.

"What? And where do you think _you're _going? You don't have any Force powers," Stone said, positioning himself between Clara and the door. With a flick of her wrist, Stone was sent sprawling to the ground. Smiling, Clara offered him a hand up. "Ok fine you can come. Just don't get yourself killed."

"I figured you would say that. And 'dragon force' is the morph command of your Force powers. Your guardian spirit is the dragon, that's why it's dragon force and not something else," Clara said as she walked beside Stone out the door of the chamber.

"Ah…that makes sense," Stone said as they reached the door that would lead them outside. "You ready?" Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, Clara focused her mind on her spells and cleared her mind of all else. Finally, Clara nodded.

"Alright, here's what we'll do. You rush to your father and hit those Gigans with every spell you can call to mind. Slow them long enough for me to distract them. Auron will likely crap a brick when he sees me again," Stone said. Nodding once again, Clara tensed herself for the fight. Pushing open the door, the two charged into the struggle. Flashes of lightning crackled from Clara's hands, arcing towards the Baliens and striking them in chains. Stone vaulted over the barrier and moved to where Auron could see him.

"Hey Simba," Stone called as he waved, "Surprised to see me?"

"I'm surprised that the Eltarians let you out of whatever cage they put you in but not to see you here. You see, foolish human, we followed _you_ here," Auron growled as Stone felt his face drain of it's colour. "Enough of this; Gigans destroy the human."

To Stone's delight, his distraction had worked. He watched as Clara half-aided, half-dragged her father back to the Council Chamber. The Eltarian Regulars covered their retreat. Laying him on the fountain, Lorden gathered the energy to speak.

"Clara….what have you done?" Lorden said, as he tilted his head to watch as the Gigans turned to fight Stone. Clara stroked her father's head, wiping the blood from the wounds on his body.

"Saved the city and likely the planet," Clara said as she cupped water from the fountain in her hands for Lorden to drink. "Just watch father."

"So you think you gigantic freaks can take me huh," Stone said, motioning the Gigans on. The three Gigans roared their assent, swinging their weapons and flexing their muscles. "What about like this?"

Lorden's eyes shot open. "Clara, you didn't…"

"Dragon force!" Stone cried raising his braced arm to the sky. In a flash of golden lightning that danced along the bracer, the dragon engraved into the bracer glowed and floated before him. Lowering his arms to his side, the dragon symbol merged onto Stone. The armour on his chest bore the dragon symbol, as did the golden headband that encircled his head. Bands of gold encircled his arms just below the shoulder, engraved with runes that Stone could not decipher. Plates of golden armour conformed Stone's thighs, with armoured boots adorning his feet. Drawing his Dragonsaber, he was the epitome of hope for Eltar.

"You again! But how?" Auron cried, frustrated at the persistence of this golden Ranger. Stone smiled, turning to glare at the lion general.

"You may have killed the man, but you can never destroy the power," Stone said, turning to charge the Gigans. He was a blur of gold, striking and slashing before the Gigans could move to block him. The magic of Eltar must have been supplementing his Ranger powers. Before the last Gigan dropped, the sound of an air gun sounded from behind Stone. Suddenly, the Gigan's eyes shot open, and it stood straight up and bellowed. It's eyes became bloodshot and it began to grow at an exponential rate. Soon, the Gigan towered over the tallest crystal spires of the city.

"Oh shi…" Stone began to say, but was interrupted by a piece of falling crystal the Gigan had knocked off. Stone dove out its path at the last possible moment, avoiding certain death. Lorden pulled himself to his feet and hobbled close enough to Stone so that he could hear what he said.

"Call your zord human!" Lorden called, leaning heavily on the barricade. Stone got to his feet from his dive and risked a glance towards the injured Eltarian leader.

"Call my what!"

"Your guardian spirit, the dragon. Call him forth and activate Force Zord mode. Ask no questions human, there's no time!" Lorden cried as another piece of crystal tower fell. Deciding to humour the old man, Stone was quick to act.

"Gold Dragon, Force Zord mode!" Stone called, watching as the golden dragon appeared. A ring of light began to run down the length of the dragon, transforming living flesh and scales into steel and gears. "Now _that_ is what I'm talking about!" The golden dragon swooped down lowering an access ramp from it's belly. Stone wasted no time in running up the ramp into the dragon's cockpit. "Ok…so let's pretend I have no idea how to fly this thing," Stone said as he grabbed the controls. Much to his surprise, the controls moved under his hands; the wings beat themselves as the dragon thrust itself up and gained altitude. Thinking of all the hours he spent in the arcade playing fighter pilot video games, his instincts began to take over. Circling the Gigan, Stone brought in the zord on an attack run, watching as lasers extended from the dragon's wings.

"Wing blasters online," a voice inside the cockpit said rather politely. Stone shrugged.

"Alrighty then. Wing blasters, fire!" Stone said as bolts of energy spewed out of the laser cannon and pelted the giant Gigan's chest. Losing it's balance, the Gigan stumbled back and fell to the ground, creating tremors felt by Lorden and the other Eltarians still standing on the ground below. Growling and getting back to it's feet, the Gigan swung at the zord. A near miss brought Stone back to his senses; he wasn't invulnerable in this mechanical dragon. "This has gone on long enough. How do I finish this thing?" Stone asked the cockpit, hoping it might provide him with an answer.

"Dragonheart activated," the cockpit replied. The cockpit computer hadn't led him astray yet, so he figured this would work just as well.

"Sure, what the hell. Dragonheart!" Stone said as the control for velocity maxed itself out. Stone looked along the wingspan of the zord and watched as the wings tucked themselves into the body, effectively making the zord an airborne torpedo. Glowing with a golden aura, the zord sailed straight through the Baliens chest, emerging out it's back. With a groan, the Gigan fell to the ground, it's lifeless body shrinking back to it's original size. With it's wings expanded once again, Stone landed the zord next to the Eltos fountain and emerged to the cheers of the Eltarian Regulars, Lorden, and Clara. Smiling, Stone walked down the access ramp and stood in front of the Eltarians.

"Not bad for a human, huh?" Stone said, unable to resist making the Eltarians remember that they had been perfectly ready to lock him away a few hours ago. Scratching their heads and muttering under their breath, the Eltarians were hesitant to meet Stone's eyes. But then, in the blink of an eye, Stone saw part of the Council building crumbling away and hurtling towards the group. Shaking his head, he looked up to see…part of the roof giving way and falling.

"No!" Stone shouted as he raced to get between the hulking mass and the Eltarians. Raising his hands to attempt to catch the building, he heard gasps from the gathered Eltarians. Figuring he had caught the ruin, Stone looked up. To his disbelief, the ruin was _hovering_ in mid-air. Moving his hands, he watched as the ruin moved in synch with his hands. Gentle lowering the piece, Stone turned to face the open-mouthed Eltarians. Stone cleared his throat.

"Well _that_ will definitely amuse the kids at parties," Stone said, trying to make light of the situation. _How in the hell did I do that_, Stone thought. Of all the things that could have happened in that moment, what happened next Stone would never forget.

Sighing and wiping at his weary eyes, Lorden moved forward and wrapped his arm around Stone. "I think it's time you learned the truth Derek," Lorden said. At this point, Stone could have been knocked over with a feather. Not only did Lorden know his name, he had used his first name.

"Wait, how do you know my name! And if you did why the hell have you been calling me _human_?" Stone said, removing himself from Lorden's grasp. Lorden's shoulders drooped as he turned to face the fountain. Voice shaking, Lorden spoke.

"I know your name, dear Derek, because you're my nephew."

Author's Note: Just wanted to say thank you to UKHoneyB for bringing the fact that my page breaks weren't showing up to my attention and to ArctosPrime for reminding me to throw zords in this thing. Anyways, thanks for reading, the next chapter will be up soon. Keep reviewing!


	8. Chapter 7: Journey of Ages Part III

**Chapter 7:**

**Journey of Ages Part III: The Omega Syndrome; A Past Revealed**

The sun rose once again over Eltar, illuminating the landscape of shattered crystal spires and broken buildings as the rays of warmth cast their brightening glow over Eltos. The Eltarians stirred from their slumber, waking and going to work burying the fallen and using their magic to rebuild their beloved city. Despite being scheduled to deliver a speech to the people of Eltar in the afternoon, Lorden was not out among his people boosting morale. Many well-wishers had called upon him at his home, but he had asked his housemaster to turn away anyone other than his nephew. He had asked Stone to come to his home at his convenience so he could tell him the truth about his heritage and why he was able to use magic to halt the fall of the building.

Truth be told, Lorden never thought he would have to tell his nephew the truth. He knew that he was being raised on Earth as a normal human, and the odds of the human ever reaching Eltar were slim to none; apparently slim had won. Lorden sat at his marble desk, resting his head in his hands. How was he to tell Stone the truth? It was a hard pill for Lorden to swallow and he wasn't even the one that the story was concerned with. Sighing, Lorden opened one of the desk's numerous drawers and withdrew a crystal. Placing it in one of the desk's holders, he waved his hand over the crystal. It contained an image of Zordon and himself slaving over their work, as usual. The work had been the precursor to the power coins that Zordon had given to the Rangers he recruited in Angel Grove. Smiling, Lorden passed his hand over the crystal again, watching as the image shimmered and changed into another. This was a picture of the two brothers resplendent as Rangers fighting the Balien king Tyran on the plains of Eltar. He remembered the day vividly; the Eltarians, numbering in the mere hundreds, had fought off ten thousand Baliens, holding the plains until the contingent of troops from Aquitar had arrived to bolster their forces. Wiping a tear from his cheek, Lorden waved a shaking hand a final time over the crystal, bringing up an image of a human child, swaddled in a blanket in the arms of his brother. This was the image that he would now have to face.

The image crystal he was viewing had been accompanied by a visit from his dear brother. Zordon had contacted Lorden in secret, asking for a meeting on the nearby planet of Triforia, in the castle of Lord Trey, the gold Zeo Ranger. It was here that Lorden's life had changed forever.

---Start Flashback---

"Welcome to my home Lorden," Trey said, clasping Lorden's offered forearm. "Your brother is waiting for you in the dining hall. Follow me, if you would." Trey turned and led Lorden down the hall of his monstrous castle, finally stopping outside large golden doors engraved with the crest of Triforia.

"Your brother is waiting for you inside, dear friend," Trey said as he patted Lorden on the back and turned to leave. "I'll leave you two in peace. I'm sure you have much to discuss." Smiling, Lorden thanked the Lord of Triforia and opened the doors to see his brother looking into the fire with his back turned to Lorden. Walking into the grand dining chamber, Lorden's footsteps echoed, creating an eerie resonance that disturbed the serene calm of the room. Clearing his throat, Lorden stretched out to rest his hand on his older brother's shoulder.

"Dear brother it's been too long," Lorden said, smiling as his brother turned to face him. Lorden gasped. It was not the fact that Zordon looked weathered and worn, or that he was a shadow of his former self. In Zordon's arms was a baby swaddled in a blanket. Sighing, Zordon motioned for his brother to sit down at the massive oak table that was situated in the centre of the hall. Resting the baby in a cradle in a shadowed corner, Zordon joined his brother at the table.

"Indeed it has Lorden," Zordon said as he sat across from his brother resting his head against the massive headboard of the chair. Zordon was surprised at the fact that his brother had actually agreed to meet him. The fact that he had left Eltar under the circumstances that he did meant that he was one of the Lost, and the fact that Lorden was speaking with him now put him at risk should anyone on Eltar discover that they had met. "I fear that there is little time for me to explain very much to you little brother. Please hear my entire tale before you judge me for what has happened; you are the only one I can trust to tell, as well as the only person who knows. After I left Eltar, I settled in a small town called Angel Grove on Earth. I kept my identity secret from everyone, claiming that I was a new teacher from out of town. However I could not hide my feelings from one of my fellow teachers at the school I was teaching at." Lorden's face paled at the news that Zordon was relaying.

"You consorted with a _human_?" Lorden exclaimed, his voice echoing in expanses of the hall. Sighing, Zordon stood and walked over to the cradle to look at the child resting within. "This human infant can use magic!"

"Yes brother, this child is part human and part Eltarian," Zordon said, turning to face his enraged brother once again. Lorden moved towards the cradle and gazed at the baby. It's eyes were closed as it slumbered. Tufts of hair had begun to sprout from the infant's tiny head; the strands of dark hair curled in waves on the child's head. Picking the baby up in his arms, Lorden felt the child stir at his touch.

"Never thought I'd be called uncle," Lorden said as he rocked the baby back and forth, listening to the baby coo and stir as it felt the motion. Zordon smiled and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I can't ask you to take care of him, or even take him to Eltar and place him in the care of foster parents. All I ask is that should he ever seek you out you tell him the truth. His mother's name was Alora, a human teacher from Angel Grove. Teach him of Eltar and tell him that his father loves him, despite the fact that I cannot raise him. I will leave him with foster parents on Earth and pray he lives a life better than I could ever provide." Nodding, Lorden placed the baby back in the cradle and moved to the door to leave the chamber. Turning to look at his elder brother once more, Lorden cleared his throat.

"What's the child's name, brother?" Lorden asked, his voice echoing in the vastness of the room once again.

Smiling, Zordon answered. "Derek. The boy's name is Derek."

---End Flashback---

Lorden had never told anyone of the existence of his nephew; not even his wife or his young daughter. He felt he owed it to his brother to keep the dark secret in hopes that he would never have to face his nephew and tell him the truth about his origins. He had thought that there was a large possibility that his nephew would never even know he was part Eltarian and would live his life as a normal human, never tapping into his magic abilities. It would seem that the Ancients, however, did not want this to be the case. Placing the crystal back into the desk drawer, Lorden left his study and walked down the hall to the stairs that would take him to the lower level of his home. Clara, however, was waiting for her father at the top of the stairs.

"How could you not tell me?" Clara cried, wiping the tears from her eyes. Lorden brought his daughter into his arms, hugging her tightly as he began to explain.

"I couldn't tell you," he began, feeling his daughter sobbing into his robe. "I couldn't tell anyone, for fear of them sending me into exile for speaking with one of the Lost. There was every likelihood that we would never see Derek ever again and that he would live his life on Earth and never even know that this planet exists, let alone that he had magic abilities." Clara's sobbing began to slow as she realized that her father did indeed have no choice. Before he could explain any further, the door crystal chimed, signaling that someone was seeking admittance into the High Councilor's home. Knowing that it was Stone, Lorden hugged Clara and left her to answer the door. Watching his housemaster open the door, Lorden saw Stone standing outside the door.

"Ah, Derek, nice to see you," Lorden said, beckoning his nephew to enter. Stone walked into the home cautiously, not knowing what to expect within an Eltarians home. Extending his hand, Stone greeted his uncle.

"Hi sir." Lorden shook his head as he shook Stone's offered hand.

"Please, Derek, call me Lorden. You're too old for me to be called uncle, and I'd prefer if you called me by my first name anyways. Now, I'm sure you're rather nervous and would like to know the truth. Come with me into the sitting room," Lorden said as he lead Stone down the hall, into a room who's walls were covered in crystals emitting images into the air. Two chairs were situated around a marble table; it was in these that the two sat. Despite knowing that Lorden was his uncle, Stone still had many unanswered questions. He hoped that Lorden's explanation would clear everything up.

"I'm sure you're confused about everything and why Eltarians view humans with such distaste and caution," Lorden began to explain, as he sat back in his chair. "But first, I would like to tell you of your father. Correct me if I'm wrong Derek, but you never knew your real parents did you?"

"I was raised in a foster home, by Joseph and Angelina Stone," Stone replied, remembering the adults that had raised him fondly.

"Exactly; a _foster_ home. Your real parents were my elder brother, Zordon, and a woman named Alora, a school teacher. Your father left Eltar just after his 23rd birthday, determined to aid the humans in the threats that would attack the human planet of Earth. He took with him the power coins; devices that would allow normal humans to become Power Rangers by harnessing the power of the ancient creatures that humans called dinosaurs. I saw him once more after he left Eltar, on the planet Triforia, where I learned of your existence and what I would be required to do should you ever find me here. There is little else I can tell you about your past Derek, save that your father loved you very much and wanted to see you raised in as safe an environment as possible," Lorden said, looking at Stone who was fighting back the tears. Lorden stood and walked to one of the images being emitted on the wall and motioned for Stone to join him. The image was of a man holding a case containing five golden coins.

"Is this…" Stone began to say before he was interrupted by Lorden.

"Yes Derek, this is your father. Those are the power coins he took with him to Earth that he gave to the five teenagers in Angel Grove. I helped him develop them, as well as the zords that those Rangers commanded. That is how I knew that your guardian spirit could transform into a force zord," Lorden explained. Stone nodded.

"Well that at least explains that," Stone said walking back to the chairs they had been sitting in moments earlier. "But that doesn't explain a few other things; like why you treated me like a virus when I arrived here." Lorden sighed deeply. Knowing that this question was indeed coming didn't help in answering it.

"There is something you need to understand about Eltarians my nephew," Lorden said slowly, choosing his words carefully, "My people view humans with such caution because we know the extremes they are capable of. Humans have the capacity to do both great good and great evil; build and destroy. We try to avoid meddling in the affairs of all races, not just humans; we enjoy our splendid isolation. When you arrived on Eltar I had no idea that you were indeed my nephew. After all, I hadn't seen you in over a decade. Once I had seen you use magic, I knew that you were my nephew…no other human can use magic. I apologize for your harsh treatment, but it is how we treat all humans, or foreigners for that matter." Seemingly accepting the explanation that he had been provided, Stone moved to the next question.

"How am I able to use magic, other than the fact that I have an Eltarian as a father?" Stone inquired, wondering just what was so different about him.

Lorden smiled as he answered. "The difference is a rather subtle one. Normal humans, like the ones on Earth, have 46 chromosomes divided into 23 pairs. Eltarians, however, have a 24th pair of chromosomes that allows the ability to harness magic. Because your father was an Eltarian, you contain the 24th pair of chromosomes. That is the sole difference between Eltarians and humans, other than the fact that we live on Eltar."

"Then how did you know I was a human if the only difference between me and an Eltarian was part of my genetic code?" Stone said, as he watched Lorden smiled once again.

"Well you weren't exactly dressed like us now where you?" Lorden said as he watched Stone try to suppress a laugh. "In addition to your dress, no Eltarian would ever appear out of thin air with one of the Force weapons on top of the Eltos Fountain. In fact, assuming that you were a human was just an educated guess on our part."

"But if I'm able to use magic, why couldn't I use it when I was back on Earth?" Stone asked, recalling a few situations back home when a fireball or lightning bolt would have been rather useful.

"In truth, that is a question that is rather difficult to answer. Did you believe in magic while you were on Earth?" Lorden asked as he watched Stone shake his head. "Exactly. Part of the ability to use magic comes from the belief in magic. The other part comes from the ability in knowing that you can use magic. You, however, fall under neither of the categories. My best guess is that your abilities were unlocked because of the situation. You _needed_ to stop that piece of falling building debris and your magical abilities chose that point to activate. Some might call it luck, others will call it fate."

Satisfied with the answers he had received, Stone began to pace around the room, glancing at each image that were cast on the walls. Many of the pictures had his father in them; his real father. In truth he had always wondered who his real parents were back on Earth, or at least he had before the invasion. Never, even in a hundred years, would he have guessed that his father was a magic using alien that had developed the Power Ranger abilities and brought them to Earth. Like his life, even his perception of his past had changed. Clearing his throat, Stone turned to face his uncle.

"So what happens to me now?" Stone asked, fearing the answer that he would receive from his uncle.

"Well, seeing as you almost single-handedly saved the city, and likely the planet, I'm sure the remaining populace of the city will embrace you with open arms," Lorden said as he moved towards the window of the room to watch the citizens of Eltos gather around the Fountain in preparation for his afternoon address. Sighing, Stone spoke to his uncle from across the room.

"You know I can't stay here Lorden," Stone said as he began to walk to the window. "My place is on Earth. I need to find the Force of Ages and figure out how to bring it back for my friends back on Earth. My planet doesn't stand a chance without the Force and you bloody well know it. And I'll need Clara's help when I get back."

"What do you mean?" Lorden inquired, concerned by the fact that Stone was asking for his only daughter to accompany him back to Earth.

"Clara is destined to be a Ranger," Stone said, trying to sound as casual as possible. Lorden whirled to look at Stone.

"WHAT!" Lorden cried. Stone knew that this wouldn't be easy.

"She's one of the Rangers. You'll ask me how I know, but listen to me first. When I first met Clara, I saw her standing in the Cavern of Power back on Earth, grabbing the weapon from one of the statues. That vision can only mean one thing; that she's meant to be one of the Rangers on Earth. I haven't had a chance to tell her yet," Stone said, moving to leave the room. "Like it or not Lorden, her place is with me and the Rangers on Earth."

"You think I'll just let her go?" Lorden asked, chasing Stone out of the room. Hand on the door to leave the home of the High Councilor, Stone turned his head to speak.

"Frankly, uncle, I don't think you'll have a choice."

PAGE BREAK (once again it's ugly, but it works)

The crowd that had gathered for Lorden's address was…well…massive. It seemed as if every survivor from Eltos had turned up as well as every inhabitant of the planet. Word had spread quickly across the expanses of the planet about the human that had saved Eltos. Rumor had it that the human had used the Force of Ages to morph into a Force Ranger to battle the Baliens and the Gigans they had brought along. The Eltarians had so many questions that they hoped Lorden's address would answer.

Lorden, however, had questions himself. The foremost one was what the hell he was going to say to the Eltarians and, later, to Stone. He had so much to tell his people and Stone, and had no idea where to start. Maybe it was time to tell them all the truth; tell them about Stone, Zordon, and the Force of Ages. Perhaps he should tell the Eltarians of the Balien invasion of Earth and that it was time for the Eltarians to end their isolation and become part of galactic affairs. Before he could decide, he heard the master of ceremony announce his name, calling him towards the podium to make his address. Sighing and clearly his throat, Lorden waved and smiled to the crowd as he stepped up the dais upon which the podium sat. Waiting for the cheers and applause to subside to a reasonable level, Lorden raised his hands to call for absolute silence.

"My dear citizens, friends, and family; I stand before you today a man torn between two ideals who finds himself searching for the right words to say to you all. So much has happened to our planet in the past few days I struggle to find a place to start," Lorden said as he scanned the crowd, looking for Stone. Seeing him a few rows back, Lorden spoke again. "Despite what the other Councilors will say about me, I think it is high time I told you all the truth about a number of things. As many of you know, my brother is one of the Lost. He left Eltar many years ago bound for Earth, taking with him the power to give humans the ability to transform into Power Rangers. What you all _don't_ know is that he had a son born to him by a human female." It seemed to Lorden that at this point every Eltarian gathered gave a collective gasp at the twist they had just heard.

"Similarly, many of you know that myself as well as a handful of soldiers defending Eltos were saved by the golden Force Ranger yesterday," Lorden said as cheers once again erupted from the crowd. "Yes, yes, I know, very exciting. But the truth is that the golden Force Ranger was Zordon's son, and my nephew." Silence followed Lorden's latest comment, which was unsurprising. Opening his mouth to further explain, he was suddenly, and surprisingly, cut off by a sea of cheering, whooping and applause. Lorden couldn't believe what he was seeing, nor could the other Councilors. Eltarians had never cheered for a human, even a half-human before. Maybe it was time…

"So, my people, I will show Stone, our human saviour, where the Force of Ages lies, so that he may return to his planet to save it from the Baliens that are attacking his home. Eltarians, I give you your hero, the golden Force Ranger, Derek Stone!" Lorden said, pointing to Stone and motioning for him to come up to the podium and join him. At a complete loss as to what to do, Stone waded through the small portion of the crowd that was in between him and the dais, shaking hands and being patted on the back.

_Funny how things change once you save their planet_, Stone thought with amusement.

Standing beside his uncle, Stone waved to the gathered crowd, smiling.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Stone said to Lorden, speaking out of the side of his mouth.

"Tell them the truth about what's happening back on Earth," Lorden suggested, just loud enough to be heard about the crowd's cheering.

"Uh…hi" Stone said into the crystal that Lorden had been speaking into, "I don't really know what to say…I mean a few days ago I was the strangest thing you all had seen. I come from Earth, a planet invaded and besieged by the Baliens that threatened your planet yesterday. My home doesn't have the beauty that your city does. It might not have the crystal spires or the shining walls and fountains that your city does but my home is beautiful to me. I don't know how I got here, but I do know _why_ I'm here. I was sent here to find and harness the Force of Ages and return with it to save my planet. But I don't think I can win the battle on Earth alone with the other Rangers," Stone said as he felt his courage coursing through his veins. "I ask you now as a friend, not a hero or a Ranger, to aid me and my planet. We might not understand each other's cultures or live on the same planet, but we share this galaxy. And I know that if you can change and accept me that my people can change and accept you. Are you with me!" Stone screamed, raising his fist in the air to the tumultuous roars and cheers of the gathered Eltarians. Looking at his uncle, Lorden smiled, wiping the tears from his eyes. Walking back towards the amplification crystal, Lorden spoke the roaring crowd.

"We will assemble a grand army of Eltar to aid the humans in their plight against the Baliens. It will take time, dedication and training, but we will stand beside the humans on Earth as soon as we are able. Now, I believe I said that I would lead my nephew to the Force of Ages," Lorden said as he turned towards the Eltos Fountains. Raising his hand at the monstrous waterfall of the Fountain, Lorden spoke the words of the incantation that would part the water leading to the mouth of the Cavern of Ages. The rumbling waters began to divide from the center outwards, revealing the entrance. The crowd of Eltarians gasped at the sight, as they had never imagined that the fabled Cavern of Ages would be under their beloved city. Looking at Stone, Lorden lowered his hand and spoke with a smile.

"Well what are you waiting for boy? Your destiny is waiting."

PAGE BREAK

Life had returned to some semblance of order on Earth with the Baliens suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of the Rangers and the Bastion Guard. The humans living at Backwater University had been living in relative quiet for the past few days, settling in to their new surroundings and getting the hang of living in the fresh air again.

Life for the Rangers, however, had been anything but tame. Between setting up the defenses of the University, attending Council meetings, and training able bodied humans to fight, the Ranger had been lucky to catch a few hours of sleep everyday. Chris had taken over the defense council, organizing the placement of heavy weapons and the deployment of troops. He had commissioned Striker to help him, as the man could fix anything you put in front of him. They had scavenged the nearby military bases for anything usable and had been quite lucky. A dozen serviceable vehicles and 20 or so heavy guns, including surface to air missiles, had been found hidden underground in an alcove that Chris and Striker had discovered by chance. Over the course of the past few days, the pair had hauled the artillery back to the University and scattered them around the campus on strategic defense points. The vehicles were kept in one of the parking garages along with the vehicles that were from Bastion. As a whole, the vehicles were referred to as the cavalry, with numerous teenagers and adults stepping forward to be soldiers associated with the cavalry unit.

The hospital on the University campus had been filled almost to capacity, with the sick and elderly being watched over with care, nursing them back to full health. This was where Zoe was in her element. Although her medical knowledge was rather exceptional, she found more enjoyment from the fact that she was simply helping people get better. Despite her average stature, Zoe's heart was the size of a giant. She had gotten very little sleep over the past week; it seemed to the other staff of the hospital that she was always exactly where the crisis was occurring, or exactly where she needed to be. Focused on her tasks, Zoe's generosity and kindness never wavered. Similarly, her thought never wavered from Stone.

The children that had traveled from Bastion had been sent to the on-campus daycare to be kept amused, taught, and, mainly, to be kept out their parent's hair. This was where Johnny was in his element. Johnny had never known that he was good with teaching and amusing children with activities. He told the children stories from movies and TV shows to the extreme amusement of the children; after all, they had never heard of Star Wars or the Lord of the Rings, so the children were enrapt with the tales of adventure that Johnny spun within their minds. He also taught them math, writing, and physical activities to keep them in fighting form should the extreme circumstance when they would have to bear arms arise.

The Rangers had gathered in the dining hall after a long day of work; barely having enough energy to lift the forkfuls of food off of their plates. After a few mouthfuls of food, the Rangers found the energy to speak.

"So how's life treating you guys these days?" Johnny said, wiping gravy off of his mouth. Chris belched and took another swig of cola from his cup.

"Well if I ever see another heavy artillery gun that I have to tow to this bloody place I'm going to vomit," Chris said, picking up another drumstick off of his plate. Both Johnny and Zoe laughed in between bites, knowing how much Chris hated manual labour.

"I'm actually enjoying working in the hospital…I feel as though I'm contributing to everyone getting better and settled here. But I can't help thinking that something's wrong," Zoe said, resting her utensils on her plate and leaning back in her chair.

"What do you mean by that?" Johnny said, placing his plate on the dish tray that would be taken to the kitchen for washing. Zoe stood, stretching her muscles and walking to one of the many windows of the hall.

"The Baliens haven't attacked in days; not even a Skyclaw patrol has come our way. It's almost as if the Baliens have lost all interest in us," Zoe said with a worried sigh. Before Chris could tell her to enjoy the peace that had found them, the door to the hall burst open. Into the hall strode Striker, red in the face, presumably from the run over into the hall.

"Striker, what's wrong!" Chris cried, immediately rising from his seat and rushing over to see the Councilor. Striker clutched at one of the nearby chairs, catching his breath in deep wheezing breaths.

"We've found something," Striker said in gasps, "On the outskirts of the campus. They're humans…well at least some of them used to be humans. They're sick…real sick." Before anyone could tell her to stop, Zoe was out the door, on her way to the campus hospital to do whatever she could. Chris and Johnny helped Striker back towards the heart of the campus, listening to the Councilor's report of where the humans had been found. The humans had been wasting away almost to the point where an onlooker could watch the skin fall off their bones. On those that still had flesh on their arms, there was a discernible tattoo of the omega character, leading the Council to believe that these humans were from the dreaded Omega Camp. At first glance, the virus was like none anyone had ever seen, meaning that as of this moment, there was no cure.

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"I don't believe it," Zoe said, pulling herself away from the microscope. The gathered assembly hovering around her waited with baited breath for the analysis of the virus. "This virus attacks the chromosomes of our cells. It starts at the 23rd pair and works its way down. It doesn't attack animals because their genetic make up is different than ours. It seems almost as if the virus hunts for the 23rd pair and can only begin its attack if it finds them. I can only think of one reason this virus has been created…to destroy every last member of the human race." A few of the older Councilors fainted and landed on the ground with a thud. Chris moved over and lifted the fainted onto nearby chairs.

"If that's the case, then we have to get these corpses out of here. If we make contact with these bodies, even if in advertent, we can get sick," Johnny said, carefully lifting one of the corpses off of the examination table with a sheet between his hands and the bones of the dead human.

"Stupid boy, we're already all infected! We've already been too close to the body," Councilor Browning, ever the skeptic and pessimist, cried.

"You know Faymore, if this is the minimum intelligence required to be on the Council I figure I'll nominate myself next time there's an opening," Chris said, turning to glare at Browning. "If the virus was airborne, we'd all be falling apart where we stood by now. The virus was likely injected into these humans' bloodstream. What we need to focus on now is destroying any stock of this virus that the Baliens have at Omega."

"And how to propose to do that without getting infected yourself?" Browning sneered.

Chris opened his mouth to give the councilor a scathing reply when Johnny intervened to avoid a lengthy argument.

"There's no way any of us would willing send a group of unprotected soldiers into Omega knowing that there is the chance that they could become infected and die, let alone come back here and infect everyone else," Johnny said, moving to position himself between Chris and Councilor Browning. "Us Rangers will go and check it out."

Browning sniffed at the young Ranger's suggestion. "And how are you _Rangers_ going to avoid being infected?" Even Johnny was beginning to lose his temper at this point.

"Browning, you are possibly the dumbest woman I have _ever_ had the misfortune of meeting. We wear helmets in our Ranger forms," Chris said, moving his head so that Browning could see his face over Johnny's shoulder. Blushing and muttering under her breath, Browning removed herself from the room. Faymore sighed, shaking his head at the brashness of the female councilor.

"You're sure about this then?" Faymore said, turning to face the three Rangers. "You realize the danger that this…Omega Syndrome could cause you?"

"Not like we have much of a choice," Chris said, sedating the anger that Browning had brought out in him. "But all in all we stand the best chances of surviving whatever's waiting for us in Omega besides the virus."

"Even if we die at Omega destroying the virus, thousands are saved. That's the point. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," Zoe said removing her lab coat. Johnny simply nodded his assent. Faymore smiled.

"I figured you would say that," Faymore said, as he walked towards the automatic doors of the laboratory. "This being the case, I'd suggest that you visit Striker in the garage. He's got a few presents waiting for you."

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Striker heard the _ping_ of the elevator reaching the garage level. Straightening himself and turning away from his workbench, Striker faced the elevator doors. The dull metallic doors opened to reveal the Rangers in their human states.

"So I take it you'll be going to Omega to find the source of the virus?" Striker said with a smile as he moved to greet the Rangers.

"No, we're here to take in the lovely ambiance," Chris said sarcastically smiling. Zoe, Johnny, and Striker all laughed heartily at Chris' usual humour. The garage was littered with spare parts, tools, nuts and bolts. Lining the edges of the garage were vehicles that Striker had recently repaired and were ready to go into active use. The vehicles themselves, however, were parked in no particular semblance of order other than that they were only along the edges of the area.

"Nice parking job there Striker," Johnny said, pointing to the numerous vehicles pointing every which way.

"This coming for a kid who's not even old enough to drive," Striker said with a chuckle. "So you're probably wondering what this surprise I've got for you is." The Rangers nodded. "I thought so. Gather around me, and I'll show you." Striker moved towards a large sheet covering three large objects that were creating peaks under the sheet. Obediently, the Rangers shifted to stand beside Striker and the sheet.

"I figured you would need a way to get to Omega that was a little less inconspicuous than riding those mythical animals. That's why I designed these," Striker said as he yanked the sheet covering the objects. Under it were three motorcycles; one blue, one yellow, and one black. They were each fashioned to the Ranger's respective guardian spirit, with weapons welded onto the frames for offensives. The Rangers ran their hands over the cycles, letting out low whistles. "I call these the Spirit Cycles. Hope you like 'em."

"Like them? I love mine!" Zoe said as she straddled the cycle and started the engine. The 1000cc engine roared to life, as did the other cycles as the Rangers started them. Chris glanced at Johnny as the black Ranger revved the engine.

"Wait, how do _you_ know to start a motorcycle?" Chris said, looking towards a smiling Johnny.

"I used to race these on weekends," Johnny said, brining the motorcycle up on one wheel.

"Boys," Zoe muttered, turning the cycle to the exit door of the garage. Chris and Johnny lined themselves up beside her, revving their engines as the metallic shutter trundled open. Speeding off into the night, the Rangers prepared themselves for whatever awaited them at Camp Omega and the deadly virus it contained.

Author's Note: Sorry about this latest chapter taking so long. I've been really bogged down with schoolwork. The next chapter shouldn't take so long to be posted. Please read and review!


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